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CYRANO 
DE BERGERAC 


BY 


EDMOND ROSTAND 


TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH BY 


GERTRUDE HALL 


GARDEN CITY NEW YORK 
DOUBLEDAY, DORAN & COMPANY, INC. 


1937 





by > ' 


REPLACING 


Copyright, 1898, by 
DovusLepay, Pace & ComP any 


ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 


PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES. 
AT 
THE COUNTRY LIFE PRESS, GARDEN CITY, Ne Ye 


INTRODUCTION. 


WHILE translating Cyrano de Bergerac, I 
have had moments of fearing lest certain 
one of his qualities should dispose against 
him, at the start, Anglo-Saxon audiences, 
reared in a different ideal. I mean his 
boastfulness. I have hoped heartily that 
it would not, making them less sensitive 
toallthere is ofhim beside. Indeed, boast- 
ing has a sort of picturesque good reason 
for being. when the boaster is better than 
all his boasts. Does one quarrel with 
** Not marble, nor the gilded monuments 

Of princes, shall out-live this powerful 

rhyme?” 
Cyrano is so comprehensible! To Cyrano 
the world he lives in must be filled with 
striking generous deeds and sounding gen- 
erous phrases. The world is slow in per- 
forming the first, so he performs them 
himself. Then, the care of exalting them 
cannot be left with the world, afflicted with 
dullness as with slowness, so he talks about 
them. I am sure Cyrano cares very little 


— ~ 
= ee a el; ee 


Introduction. 


that himself should be in question. He 
merely wishes fine deeds and fine gen- 
timents to be, and to make surest and 
shortest work, furnishes them himself. It 
is very innocent. 

On the other hand, I fancy it impossible 
to follow the whole play and not get the 
contagion of Cyrano’s generosity. ‘*‘ What 
are you saying? That itis no use?... 
I know it! But one does not fight because 
there is hope of winning! It ismuch finer 
to fight when it is no use!” Cyrano ex- 
claims, in the last fight of all. When that 
night he entered God’s house, and, in sas 
luting, broadly swept the azure threshold 
with his very clean plume, what eloquent 
and touching tirade must he have made to 
Gascony Cadets in bliss, at the sure vision 
of his fighting not having been in vain, of 
his having inspired others—(remote audi- 
ences in America, among them)—to detest 
and fight the ancient enemies that were 
his: Lies, Compromises, Prejudices, base 
Expedients,—the whole multitude of things 
ugly and petty ! 


DRAMATIS PERSONAL, 


CYRANO DE BERGERAC. 
CHRISTIAN DE NEUVILLETTE. 
COMTE DE GUICHE. 
RAGUENEAU. 
LE BRET. 
CAPTAIN CARBON DE CASTEL-J ALOUR, 
LIGNIERE. 
DE VALVERT. 
MONTFLEURY. 
BELLEROSE. 
JODELET, 
CUIGY. 
BRISSAILLE. 
A BORE. 
A MOUSQUETAIRE. 
OTHER MOUSQUETAIRE. 
A SPANISH OFFICER. 
A LIGHT-CAVALRY MAN, 
A DOORKEEPER. 
A BURGHER. 
His Son. 
A PICKPOCKET. 
A SPECTATOR. 
A WATCHMAN. 
BERTRANDOU THE FIFER. 
A CAPUCHIN. 

val 


Dramatis Persone. 


Two MUSICIANS. 
SEVEN CADETS. 
THREE MARQUISES. 
POETS. 
PASTRYCOOKS. 


ROXANE. 

SISTER MARTHA. 
LISE. 

THE SWEETMEAT VENDER, 
MOTHER MARGARET. 
THE DUENNA. 
SISTER CLAIRE. 

AN ACTRESS. 

A SOUBRETTE. 

A FLOWER-GIRL. 
PAGES. 


The crowd, bourgeois, Marquises, mous: 
quetaires, pickpockets, pastrycooks, poets, 
Gascony Cadets, players, fiddlers, pages, 
children, Spanish soldiers, spectators, pré: 
cieuses, actresses, bourgeoises, nuns, etc. 


CYRANO DH BERGERAC’ * 


ACT FIRST. 
A PLAY AT THE HOTEL DE BOURGOGNE. 


The great hall of the Hotel de Bourgogne, 
in 1640. <A sort of tennis-court arranged 
and decorated for theatrical performances. 

The hall is a long rectangle, seen ob- 
tiquely, so that one side of it constitutes the 
background, which runs from the position 
of the front wing at the right, to the line of 
the furthest wing at the left, and forms an 
angle with the stage, which is equally seen 
obliquely. 

This stage is furnished, on both sides, 
along the wings, with benches. The drop- 
curtain is composed of two tapestry hang- 
ings, which can be drawn apart. Above 
a Harlequin cloak, the royal escutcheon. 
Broad steps lead from the raised platform 
of the stage into the house. On either side 
of these steps, the musicians’ seats. A row 
of candles fills the office of footlights. 

Two galleries run along the side; the 


3 


Cyrano de Bergerac.,, 


tower one is divided into boxes. No seatsin 
the pit, which is the stage proper. At the 


«© « baeks of the git, that is to say, at the right, 


in the front, a few seats raised like steps, 
one above the other ; and, under a stairway 
which leads to the upper seats, and of which 
the lower end only is visible, a stand decked 
with small candelabra, jars full of flowers, 
flagons and glasses, dishes heaped with 
sweetmeats, etc. 

In the centre of the background, under 
the box-tier, the entrance to the theatre, 
large door which half opens to let in the 
spectators. On the panels of this door, 
and in several corners, and above the sweet- 
meat stand, red playbills announcing LA 
CLORISE. 

At the rise of the curtain, the house is 
nearly dark, and stillempty. The chande- 
Hers are let down in the middle of the pit, 
until time to light them. 

The audience, arriving gradually. Cavs 
aliers, burghers, lackeys, pages, the fiddlers, 
etc. 

A tumult of voices is heard beyond the 
door ; enter brusquely a CAVALIER. 


DOORKEEPER (running in after him). Not 
so fast ! Your fifteen pence ! 


4 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


WAVALIER. I come in admission free ! 

DoorRKEEPER. And why ? 

Cavaiger. I belong to the king’s light 
eavalry ! 

DOoORKEEPER (to another CAVALIER who 
kas entered). You? 

SECOND CAVALIER. I do not pay ! 

DOORKEEPER. But... 

SECOND CAVALIER. Ibelong to the mous: 
quetaires ! 

First CAVALIER (to the SEconD). It does 
not begin before two. The floor is empty. 
Let us have a bout with foils. (They fence 
with foils they have brought.) 

A LACKEY (entering). Pst! .. Flan: 
quin! 

OTHER LACKEY (arrived a moment be- 
fore). Champagne? . 

First Lackrty (taking a pack of cards 
jrom his doublet and showing it to SECOND 
Lackey). Cards. Dice. (Sits down on 
the floor.) Let us have a game. 

SEconD LAcKEY (sitting down likewise). 
You rascal, willingly! 

First Lackey (taking from his pocket a 
bit of candle which he lights and sticks on 
the floor). I prigged an eyeful of my 
master’s light ! 

ONE OF THE WATCH (toa flower-girl. whe 

5 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


comes forward). It is pleasant getting 
here before the lights. (Puts his arm 
around her waist.) 

ONE OF THE FENCERsS (taking a thrust). 
Hit! 

ONE OF THE GAMBLERS. Clubs! 

THE WATCHMAN (pursuing the girl). A 
kiss! 

THE FLOWER-GIRL (repulsing him). We 
shall be seen! 

THE WATCHMAN (drawing her into a dark 
corner). No, we shall not! 

A MAN (sitting down on the floor with 
others who have brought provisions.) By 
coming early, you get a comfortable chance 
to eat. 

A BurGHER (leading his son). This 
should be a good place, my boy. Let us 
stay here. 

ONE OF THE GAMBLERS. Ace wins ! 

A Man (taking a bottle from under his 
cloak and sitting down). <A proper tover, 
toping Burgundy, (drinks) I say should 
tope it in Burgundy House! 

THE BuRGHER (to his son). Might one 
not suppose we had stumbled into some 
house of evil fame? (Points with his cane 
at the drunkard.) Guzzlers! ... (In 
breaking guard one of the fencers jostles 

6 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


him.) Brawlers! ... (He falls between 
the gamblers.) Gamesters!... 

THE WatTcHMAN (behind him, still teas: 
ing the flower-girl). A kiss! 

THE BuRGHER (dragging his son precipi- 
tately away.) Bless my soul! ... And 
to reflect that in this very house, my 
gon, were given the plays of the great 
Rotrou ! 

THe YoutH. And those of the great 
Corneille ! 

(A band of Paacss holding hands rush in: 
performing a farandole and singing.) 

Paass. Tralalalalalalala!.. 

DOORKEEPER (severely to the PAGES). 
Look, now!.. . you pages, you ! none of 
your tricks ! 

First Pace (with wounded dignity.) 
Sir! ... this want of confidence. . 
(As soon as the doorkeeper has turned away, 
briskly to the SECOND PAGE.) Have youa 
string about you ? 

SEcoNnD PaGE. With a fish-hook at th: 
end ! 

First Pace. We will sit up there and 
angle for wigs ! 

A PICKPOCKET (surrounded by a number 
of individuals of dubious appearance.) 
Come, now, my little hopefuls, and learn 


7 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


your A BC’s of trade. Being as you’re 
not used to hooking... 

SECOND PaGE (shouting to other PAGES 
who have already taken seats in the upper 
gallery). Ho!... Did you bring any 
pea-shooters ? 

THIRD PaGE (from above). Yes!... 
And pease! .. . (shoots down a volley of 
pease). 

THE YoutTH (to his father.) What are 
we going to see ? 

THE BURGHER. Clorise. 

THE YouTH. By whom ? 

THE BurGHgER. By Balthazar Baro. 
Ah, what a play it és! . . . (Goes toward 
the back on his son’s arm.» 

PICKPOCKET (to his disciples}. Partic- 
ularly the lace-ruffles at the knees,.. . 
you’re to snip off carefully ! 

A SPECTATOR (to another, pointing toward 
an upper seat). Look! On the first night 
of the Cid, I was perched up there ! 

PICKPOCKET (with pantomimic sugges: 
tion of spiriting away). Watches... 

THE BURGHER (coming forward again 
with his son). The actors you are about 
to see, my son, are among the most illus- 
$TIOUS 2). 

PICKPOCKET (with show of subtracting 

& 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


with furtive little tugs). Pocket-handker 
Brien othe. 

THE BurcHER, Montfleury... 

SomEBopy (shouting from the upper gak 
lery). Make haste, and light the chande- 
liers! : 

THE BurGHER. Bellerose, ’Epy, the 
Beaupré, Jodelet ... 

A Pace (in the pit). Ah!... Here 
comes the goody-seller ! 

THE SWEETMEAT VENDER (appearing be- 
hind the stand). Oranges... Milk... 
Raspberry cordial . . . citron-wine... 

(Hubbub at the door.) 

FALSETTO VOICE (outside). Make room, 
ruffians! 

ONE OF THE LACKEYs (astonished). The 
marquises . . . in the pit! 

OTHER LacKkEy. Oh, for an _ instant 
only! 


ENTER a band of foppish YOUNG 
MARQUISES. 


ONE OF THE MARQUISES (looking around 
the half-empty house). What?... We 
happen in like so many linen-drapers ? 
Without disturbing anybody ? treading on 
any feet? ... Too bad! too bad! too 
bad! (He finds himself near several other 


9 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


gentlemen, come in a moment before.) 
Cuigy, Brissaille! (Hffusive embraces). 

Cuiay. We are of the faithful indeed. 
We are here before the lights. 

THE Marquis. Ah, do not speak of it! 
. . « Ithas put me in such a humor! 

OTHER Marquis. Becomforted, marquis 
. . . here comes the candle-lighter! 

THE AUDIENCE (greeting the arrival of 
the candle-lighter). Ah!... 

(Many gather around the chandeliers 
while they are being lighted. A few have 
taken seats in the galleries. LIGNIERE 
enters, arm in arm with CHRISTIAN DE NEU- 
VILLETTE. LIGNIERE, in somewhat disor- 
dered apparel ; appearance of gentlemanly 
drunkard. CHRISTIAN, becomingly dressed, 
Sut in clothes of a slightly obsolete elegance.) 

Cuiay. Ligniére! 

BRISSAILLE (laughing). Not tipsy yet ? 

LIGNIERE (low to CHRISTIAN). Shall I 
present you? (CHRISTIAN nods assent.) 
Baron de Neuvillette . . . (Exchange of 
bows). 

THE AUDIENCE (cheering the ascent of the 
first lighted chandelier). Ah!... 

CuiGcy (to BRISSAILLE, looking at CHRIs- 
TIAN). A charming head ... charm 
ing ! 
10 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


First Marquis (who has overheard), 
Event... 

LIGNIERE (presenting CHRISTIAN). Mes 
sieurs de Cuigy . . . de Brissaille ... 

CHRISTIAN (bowing). Delighted! ... 

First Marquis (to SECOND). He is a 
pretty fellow enough, but is dressed in the 
fashion of some other year! 

LIGNIERE (to Cuicy). Monsieur is lately 
arrived from Touraine. 

CHRISTIAN. Yes, I have been in Paris 
not over twenty days. lenter the Guards 
to-mcrrow, the Cadets. 

First Marquis (looking at those who ap- 
pear tn the boxes). There comes the prési- 
dente Aubry! 

SwWEETMEAT VENDER. Oranges! Milk! 

THE FIDDLERS (tuning). La..la... 

Cuiay (to CHRISTIAN, indicating the house 
which is filling). A good house!... 

CHRISTIAN. Yes, crowded. 

First Marquis. The whole of fash 
ion ! 

(They give the names of the women, as, 
very brilliantly attired, these enter the 
boxes. Exchange of bows and smiles.) 

SEconD Marquis. Mesdames de Gué 
ménée . 

Cuicy. De Bois-Dauphin... 

II 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


First Marquis. Whom... time wast 
. ea WE TOVERL «5 6 

BRISSAILLE. ... deChavigny. . 

SEconD Marquis. Whostill plays havoc 
with our hearts! 

LIGNIERE. Tieng! Monsieur de Corneille 
has come back from Rouen! 

THE YouTH (to his father). The Acad- 
emy is present ? 

THE BURGHER. Yes . . I perceive more 
than onememberofit. Yonder are Boudu, 
Boissat and Cureau ... Porchéres, Co- 
lomby, Bourzeys, Bourdon, Arbaut... 
All names of which not one will be for. 
gotten. What a beautiful thought i 
is! 

First Marquis. Attention! Our pré 
cieuses are coming into their seats... 
Barthénoide, Urimédonte, Cassandace, 
Félixérie ... 

SreconpD Marguis. Ah, how exquisite are 
their surnames! ... Marquis, can you 
tell them off, all of them ? 

First Marquis. I can tell them off, all 
of them, Marquis! 

LIGNIERE (drawing CHRISTIAN aside). 
Dear fellow, I came in here to be of use ta 
you. Thelady does not come. I revert 
to my vice! 

12 


Cyrano de Bergerac, 


CHRISTIAN (¢mploring). No! No!.., 
You who turn into ditties Town and Court, 
stay by me: you will be able to tell me for 
whom it is I am dying of love! 

THE LEADER OF THE VIOLINS (rapping 
on his desk with his bow). Gentlemen!’ 
.. . (He raises his bow.) 

SWEETMEAT VENDER. Macaroons... 
Citronade... 

(The fiddles begin playing.) 

CHRISTIAN. I fear... oh, I fear to 
tind that she is fanciful and intricate! I 
dare not speak to her, for Iam of asimple 
wit. The language written and spoken in 
these days bewildersand bafflesme. Iam 
a plain soldier . . . shy, to boot.—She is 
always at the right, there, the end: the 
empty box. 

LIGNIERE (with show of leaving). I am 
going. 

CHRISTIAN (still attempting to detain 
him). Oh, no!... Stay, I beseech you ! 

LIGNIERE. I cannot. D’Assoucy is ex- 
pecting me at the pot-house. Here is a 
mortal drought! 

SWEETMEAT VENDER ( passing before him 
with a tray). Orangeade?... 

LIGNIERE. Ugh ! 

SWEETMEAT VENDER. Milk?... 


13 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


LigNikRE. Pah!... 

SwWEETMEAT VENDER. Lacrima?... 

LIGNIERE. Stop! (Zo CuHRIsTIAN). 1] 
will tarry a bit... . Let us see this la- 
erima? (Sits down at the sweetmeat stand. 
The VENDER pours him a glass of lacrima). 

(Shouts among the audience at the en- 
trance of a little, merry-faced, roly-poly 
man.) 

AUDIENCE. Ah, Ragueneau!... 

LIGNIERE (fo CHRISTIAN). Ragueneau, 
who keeps the great cook-shop. 

RAGUENEAU (attired like a pastrycook in 
his Sunday best, coming quickly toward 
LIGNIERE). Monsieur, have you seen Mon: 
sieur de Cyrano ? 

LIGNIERE (presenting RAGUENEAU toe 
CHRISTIAN). The pastrycook of poets and 
of players ! 

RAGUENEAU (abashed). Too much hon- 
Bi. tata be 

LIGNIERE. No modesty!... Meceens 
as!... 

RAGUENEAU. It is true, those gentlemen 
are among my customers... 

LianizrE. Debitors!... A consider 
able poet himself. ... 

RAGUENEAU. It hasbeen said!... 

Lianibre. Daft on poetry! ... 


id 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


RaGuENEAU. It is true that for an 
ode... 

LIGNIERE. You are willing to give at 
any time a tart ! 

RAGUENEAU. ... let. A tart-let. 

LIGNIERE. Kind soul, he tries to cheapen 
his charitable acts! And fora triolet were 
you not known to give... ? 

RAGUENEAU. Rolls. Just rolls. 

LIGNIERE (severely). Buttered! .. . 
And the play, you are fond of the play ? 

RAGUENEAU. It is with mea passion } 

LIGNIERE. And you settle for your en- 
trance fee with a pastry currency. Come 
now, among ourselves, what did you have 
to give to-day for admittance here ? 

RAGUENEAU. Four custards. . .. eigh- 
teen lady-fingers. (He looks all around). 
Monsieur de Cyranoisnot here. I wonder 
at it. 

LIGNIERE. And why ? 

RAGUENEAU. Montfleury is billed to 
play. 

LIGNIERE. Soitis,indeed. That ton of 
man will to-day entrance us in the part of 
Phoedo ... Pheedo!... But what is 
that to Cyrano ? 

RAGUENEAU. Have you not heard? Ha 
interdicted Montfleury, whom he has taken 


15 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


in aversion, from appearing for one month 
upon the stage. 

LIGNIERE (who is at his fourth glass). 
Well ? 

RAGUENEAU. Montfleury is billed to 
play- 

Cuicy (who has drawn near with his com- 
panions). He cannot be prevented. 

RAGUENEAU. He cannot?... Well, I 
am here to see ! 

First Marquis. What is this Cyrano ? 

Cuiay. A crack-brain ! 

SEconD Marquis. Of quality ? 

Cuicy. Enough for daily uses. He is 
a cadet in the Guards. (Pointing out a 
gentleman who is coming and going about 
the pit, as tf in search of somebody). But 
his friend Le Bret can tell you. (Calling). 
Le Bret !... (Le BRET comes toward 
them). You are looking for Bergerac ? 

Le Bret. Yes. Iam uneasy. 

Cuicy. Is it nota fact that he is a most 
uncommon fellow ? 

Lr Bret (affectionately). The most ex- 
guisite being he is that walks beneath the 
moon ! 

RAGUENEAU. Poet! 

Cuicy. Swordsman ! 

BRISSAILLE. Physicist ! 

16 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Le Bret. Musician ! 

LigNizERE. And what an extraordinary 
aspect he presents ! 

RAGUENEAU. I will not go so far as to 
say that I believe our grave Philippe de 
Champaigne will leave us a portrait of 
him ; but, the bizarre, excessive, whimsi- 
cal fellow that he is would certainly have 
furnished the late Jacques Callot with a 
type of madcap fighter for one of his 
masques. Hat with triple feather, doublet 
with twice-triple skirt, cloak which his in- 
terminable rapier lifts up behind, with 
pomp, like the insolent tail of a cock ; 
prouder than all the Artabans that Gascony 
ever bred, he goes about in his stiff Punchi- 
nello ruff, airing anose. .. . Ah, gentle 
men, what a nose is that! One cannot 
look upon such a specimen of the nasigera 
without exclaiming, ‘‘No! truly, theman 
exaggerates,” .. . After that, one smiles, 
one says: ‘‘ He will take it off.” .. . But 
Monsieur de Bergerac never takes it off at 
all. 

LE Bret (shaking his head). He wears 
it always... and cuts down whoever 
breathes a syllable in comment. 

RAGUENEAU (proudly). His blade is half 
the shears of Fate ! 

2 17 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


First MARQUuIS (shrugging his shoulders). 
He will not come ! 

RAGUENEAU. He will. I wager you a 
chicken a4 la Ragueneau. 

First Marquis (laughing). Very well! 

(Murmur of admiration in the house. 
Roxane has appeared in her box. She 
takes a seat in the front, her duenna at the 
back. CHRISTIAN, engaged in paying the 
sweetmeat vender, does not look.) 

SECOND MARQUIS (uttering a series of 
small squeals). Ah, gentlemen, she is hor. 
rifically enticing! 

First Marquis. A strawberry set in q 
peach, and smiling ! 

SECOND Marquis. So fresh, that being 
near her, one might catch eold in hig 
heart ! 

CHRISTIAN (looks wp, sees ROXANE, and, 
agitated, seizes LIGNIERE by the arm), 
That is she ! 

LIGNIERE (looking). Ah, thatisshe! ... 

CHRISTIAN. Yes. Tell meat once. , .. 
Oh, Iam afraid! . . 

LIGNIERE (sipping his wine slowly). 
Magdeleine Robin, surnamed Roxane 
Subtle. Euphuistic. 

CHRISTIAN. Alack-a-day! 

LIGNEIRE. Unmarried. Anorphan. A 

18 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


cousin of Cyrano’s . . . the one of whom 
they were talking. 

< While he is speaking, a richly dressed 
nobleman, wearing the order of the Holy 
Ghost ona blue ribbon across his breast, 
enters ROXANE’S box, and, without taking 
a seat, talks with her a moment.) 

CHRISTIAN (starting). Thatman?... 

LIGNIERE (who is beginning to be tipsy, 
winking). Hé! Hé! Comte de Guiche. 
Enamored of her. But married to the 
niece of Armand de Richelieu. Wishes to 
manage a match between Roxane and cer: 
tain sorry lord, one Monsieur de Valvert, 
vicomteand ... easy. Shedoes notsuk 
scribe to his views, but De Guiche is power- 
ful: he can persecute to some purpose a 
simple commoner. But I have duly set 
forth his shady machinations in a song 
which . . . Ho! hemust bear meagrudge! 
The end was wicked... Listen! ... 
(He rises, staggering, and lifting his glass, 
is about to sing.) 

CHRISTIAN. No. Good-evening. 

LIGNIERE. You are going?... 

CuRISTIAN. To find Monsieur de Val- 
vert. 

LIGNIERE. Have a care. You are the 
one who will get killed. (ndicating Rox- 


19 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


ANE by a glance.) Stay. Some one 
Wokmep )\. 4: 

CHRISTIAN. Itistrue... 

(He remains absorbed in the contempla- 
tion of Roxane. The pickpockets, seeing 
his abstracted air, draw nearer to him.) 

LIGNIERE. Ah, you are going to stay. 
Well, lam going. lamthirsty! AndIam 
looked for... at all the public-houses! 
(Exit unsteadily.) 

LE BRET (who has made the circuit of the 
house, returning toward RAGUENEAU, in a@ 
tone of relief). Cyrano is not here. 

RAGUENEAU. Andyet... 

LE Bret. I will trust to Fortune he has 
not seen the announcement. 

THE AUDIENCE. Begin! Begin! 

ONE OF THE MARQUISES (watching DE 
GUICHE, who comes from ROXANE'S box, and 
crosses the pit, surrounded by obsequious 
satellites, among whom the VICOMTE DE 
VALVERT). Always a court about him, De 
Guiche! 

OTHER Marguis. Pf! .. Another Gas- 
con! ; 

First Marquis. A Gascon,of the cold and 
supple sort. That sort succeeds. Believe 
me, it will be best to offer him our duty. 

(They approach DE GUICHE.) 

20 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


SECOND Marquis. These admirable rib 
bons! What color, Comte de Guiche 
Should you call it Kiss-me-Sweet or... 
Expiring Fawn ? 

Dre GuIcHE. This shade is called Sick 
Spaniard. 

First Marquis. Appropriately called, 
for shortly, thanks to your valor, the 
Spaniard will be sick indeed, in Flanders ! 

DE GUICHE. I am going upon the stage. 
Are you coming? (He walks toward the 
stage, followed by all the marquises and 
men of quality. Heturnsand calls.) Val 
vert, come! 

CHRISTIAN (who has been listening and 
watching them, starts on hearing that 
name). The vicomte!... Ah, in his 
face... in hisfaceI will fling my... 
(He puts his hand to his pocket and finds 
the pickpocket’s hand. He turns.) Hein? 

PICKPOCKET. Ai! 

CHRISTIAN (without letting him go). I 
was locking for a glove. 

PIcKPOCKET (with an abject smile), And 
you found a hand. (In a different tone, 
low and rapid.) Let me go...I will 
tell you a secret. 

CHRISTIAN ‘without releasing him), 
Well? 

21 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


PICKPOCKET. Ligniére who has just left 
you... 

CHRISTIAN (as above). Yes?... 

PICKPOCKET. Has not an hour to live. 
A song he made annoyed one of the 
great, and a hundred men—I am one of 
them—will be posted to-night... 

CHRISTIAN. A hundred ?.. By whom ? 

PICKPOCKET. Honor... 

CHRISTIAN (shrugging his shoulders). 
OR ies 

PICKPOCKET (with great dignity). Among 
rogues ! 

CHRISTIAN. Where will they be posted ? 

PICKPOCKET. At the Porte de Nesle, on 
his way home. Inform him, 

CHRISTIAN (letting him go). But where 
can I find him ? 

PICKPOCKET. Go to all the taverns: the 
Golden Vat, the Pine-Apple, the Belt and 
Bosom, the Twin Torches, the Three Fun- 
nels, and in each one leave a scrap of 
writing warning Lim. 

CHRISTIAN. Yes. Iwillrun!... Ah, the 
blackguards ! A hundred againstone!... 
(Looks lovingly toward Roxane.) Leave 
her! .. . (Furiously, looking toward VAL- 
VERT.) Andhim!.. . But Ligniere must 
be prevented. (Hvit running.) 

22 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


(DE GuIcHE, the MaRQUISES, all the gen- 
try have disappeared behind the curtain, te 
place themselves on the stage-seats. The 
pit is crowded. There is not an empty seat 
in the boxes or the gallery.) 

THE AUDIENCE. Begin! 

A BURGHER (whose wig goes sailing off at 
the end of a string held by one of the pages 
in the upper gallery). My wig! 

ScreEAMs OF DeticHT. Heisbald!... 
The pages! ... Well done!... Ha, 
haba! .. 

THE BuRGHER (furious, shaking his fist). 
Imp of Satan! ... 

(Laughter and screams, beginning very 
loud and decreasing suddenly. Dead 
silence.) 

LE Bret (astonished). This sudden 
hush? . . . (One of the spectators whispers 
inhisear.) Ah?... 

THE SPECTATOR. I have it from a reli- 
able quarter. 

RuNNING Murmurs. Hush!... Has 
he come? No!... Yes, he has!... 
In the box with the grating. . . . The car- 
dinal! ... thecardinal!... the cardi 
i 

ONE OF THE PaGEs. Whatashame!.., 
Now we shall have to behave ! 


23 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


(Knocking on the stage. Complete still 
mess. Pause.) 

VOICE OF ONE OF THE MARQUISES (break« 
ing the deep silence, behind the curtain.) 
Snuff that candle ! 

OTHER MARQUIS (thrusting his head cut 
between the curtains.) Achair! (A chair 
is passed from hand to hand, above the 
heads. The marquis takes it and disap- 
pears, after kissing his hand repeatedly 
toward the boxes.) 

A SPECTATOR. Silence ! 

(Once more, the three knocks. The cur- 
tain opens. Tableau. The marquises 
seated at the sides, in attitudes of languid 
haughtiness. The stage-setting is the faint 
colored bluish sort usual in a pastoral. 
Four small crystal candelabra light the 
stage. The violins play softly.) 

LE BRET (to RAGUENEAU, under breath), 
Is Montfleury the first to appear ? 

RAGUENEAU (likewise under breath). Yes, 
The opening lines are his. 

LE BRET. Cyrano is not here. 

RAGUENEAU. I have lost my wager. 

LE Bret. Let us be thankful. . Let ug 
be thankful. 

(A bagpipe is heard. MONTFLEURY ap. 
pears upon the stage, enormous, in a cow 


24 


Cyran> de Bergerac. 


ventional shepherd’s costume, with a rose 
wreathed hat set jauntily on the side of his 
head, breathing into a be-ribboned bag- 
pipe.) 
THE Pit (applauding). Bravo, Mont- 
fleury ! Montfleury ! 
MonTFLEURY (after bowiug, proceeds to 
play the part of PHaDo). 
Happy the man who, freed from Fashion’s 
fickle sway, 
In exile self-prescribed whiles peaceful 
hours away; 
Who when Zephyrus sighs amid the an 
Swering trees... . 
A Voice (from the middle of the pit). 
Rogue! Did I not forbid you for one 
month ? 


(Consternation. Every one looks around. 
Murmurs.) 


VARIOUS VOICES. Hein? What? What 
is the matter ? 

(Many in the boxes rise to see). 

Cuiey. Itis he! 

LE Bret (alarmed). Cyrano! 

THE Voice. King oftheObese! Incom 
tinently vanish!... 

THE WHOLE AUDIENCE (indignant. 
i 

MONTFLEURY. But... 


25 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


THE Voice. You stop to muse upon thé 
matter ? 

SEVERAL VOICES (from the pit and tha 
boxes.) Hush! ...Enough!... Pro: 
ceed, Montfleury. . . . Fear nothing! 

MONTFLEURY (in an unsteady voice). 
Happy the man who freed from Fashion’s 
f—... 

THE VOICE (more threatening than 6e- 
fore). How is this? Shall I be con. 
strained, Man of the Monster Belly, to en. 
force my regulation ... regularly ? 

(An arm holding a cane leaps above the 
level of the heads.) 

MONTFLEURY (in a voice growing fainter 
and fainter). 

Happy the man. ... 

(The cane is wildly flourished.) 

THE Voice. Leave the stage ! 

THe Pre, Ob! . 3. 

MONTFLEURY (choking.) 

Happy the man who freed... 

CYRANO (appears above the audience, 
standing upon a chair, his arms folded 
on his chest, his hat at a combative angle, 
his moustache on end, his nose terrify 
ing). 

Ah! Ishall lose my temper! 

(Sensation at sight of him). 

26 


Cyrano de Bergerae. 


MontTFLEURY (to the MARQUISES). Mes 
sieurs, I appeal to you ! 

ONE OF THE MARQUISES (languidly). But 
goahead!... Play! 

Cyrano. Fat man, if you attempt it, I 
will dust the paint off you with this ! 

THE Marquis. Enough! 

Cyrano. Let every little lordling keep 
silence in his seat, or I will ruffle his rib- 
bons with my cane! 

ALL THE MARQUISES (rising). This ia 
too much! ... Montfleury.... 

Cyrano. Let Montfleury go home, or 
stay, and, having cut his ears off, I will 
disembowel him ! 

A Vor, But. ... 

Cyrano. Let him go home, I said } 

OTHER Voice. But after all... 

CyRANO. It is not yet done? (Witn 
show of turning up his sleeves.) Very well, 
upon that stage, as on a platter trimmed 
with green, you shall see me carve that 
mount of brawn. ... 

MONTFLEURY (calling up his whole dig- 
nity). Monsieur, you cast indignity, in 
my person, upon the Muse ! 

CYRANO (very civilly). Monsieur, if that 
lady, with whom you havenaught to do, 
bad the pleasure of beholding you... 


37 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


just as you stand, there, like a decorated 
pot! ... she could not live, I do pro 
test, but she hurled her buskin at youl 

THE Pir. Montfleury! .. . Mont 
fleury ! . . . Give us Baro’s piece ! 

CyYRANO (to those shouting around him). 
I beg you will show some regard for my 
scabbard: itis ready to give up the sword} 
(The space around him widens.) 

THE CrowD (backing away). Hey .., 
softly, there ! 

CYRANO (to MONTFLEURY). Go off ! 

THE CROWD (closing again, and grum 
Ring). Ona ns Oh 

CyRANO (turning suddenly). Has some: 
body objections? (The crowd again pushes 
away from him.) 

A VoicE (at the back, singing.) 


Monsieur de Cyrano, one sees, 
Inclines to be tyrannical ; 

In spite of that tyrannicle 
We shall see La Clorise ! 


THE WHOLE AUDIENCE (catching up the 
tune). LaClorise! La Clorise ! 
Cyrano. Let me hear that song again, 
and I willdo youallto death with my stick{ 
A BurGHER. Samson come back!... 
Cyrano. Lend me your jaw, good man! 
48 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


A Lapy (in one of the boxes). This is 
unheard of ! 

A Man. It is scandalous ! 

A BurGHEerR. It is irritating, to say no 
more. 

A Pace. What fun it is! 

fom yr, Kess! ..... Montfleury!.:. 


Cyrano!... | 

CyRANo. Bestill!... 

THE PIT (n uproar). Hee-haw!... 
Baaaaah! ... Bow-wow! . .. Cockadoo- 
dledoooooo! 


Cyrano. Iwill... 

A PaGEe. Meeeow! 

Cyrano. I order you to hold your 
tongues! . . . I dare the floor collectively 
to utter another sound! ...I challenge 
you, one and all! ... TI will take down 
your names... Step forward, budding 
heroes! Eachin his turn. You shall be 
given numbers. Come, which one of you 
will open the joust with me? You, mon- 
sieur? No! You? No! The first that offers 
is promised all the mortuary honors due the 
brave. Let all who wish to die hold up 
theirhands! (Silence.) Itis modesty that 
makes you shrink from the sight of my 
naked sword? Notaname? Nota hand? 
Very good. Then I proceed. (Turning 


39 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


toward the stage where MONTFLEURY 18 
waiting in terror). As I was saying, it 
is my wish to see the stage cured of this 
tumor. Otherwise... (Claps hand to 
his sword.) the lancet! 

MONTeLEURY.: Ios. 

CYRANO (gets down from his chair, and 
sits in the space that has become vacant 
around him, with the ease of one at home), 
Thrice will I clap my hands, O plenilune! 
At the third clap . . . eclipse! 

THe Prr (diverted). Ah! ..% 

CyRANO (clapping his hands). Onell... 

Monrrinury. [.:.". 

A VoicE (from one of the boxes). Do 


HOt SO". Fs 
THE Pit. He will stay! ... He will 
Fa 8 aa 
MONTFLEURY. Messieurs, I feel... 
Cyrano. Two!... 


MontTFLEURY. I feel it will perhaps be 
wiser... 

Cyrano. Three! s... 

(MONTFLEURY disappears, as if through 
atrap-door. Storm of laughter, hissing, 
catcalls.) 

THE House. Hoo!... Hoo!... Milk: 
sop! ...Comeback!... 

Cyrano (beaming, leans back in his chat# 


30 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


and crosses his legs). Let him come back, 
if he dare! 

A BurcHer. The spokesman of the 
company! 

(BELLEROSE comes forward on the stage 
and bows). 

Tue Boxes. Ah, there comes Bellerose! 

BELLEROSE (with elegant bearing and 
diction). Nobleladies and gentlemen... 

Tue Pit. No! No! Jodelet!... We 
want Jodelet!... 

JoDELET (comes forward, speaks through 
his nose). Pack of swine! 


Tue Pit. That isright! ... Well said! 
ii., Bravo! 
JopDELET. Don’t bravo me!.. . The 


portly tragedian, whose paunch is your 
delight, felt sick! ... 

Tue Pit. Heisapoltroon!... 

JODELET. He was obliged to leave... 

Tue Pir. Let him come back! 

Some. No! 

OTHERS. Yes!... 

A Youts (to Cyrano). But, when all is 
said, monsieur, what good grounds have 
_ you for hating Montfleury? 

Cyrano (amiably, sitting as_ before). 
Young gosling, I have two, whereof each, 
singly, would be ample. Primo: He isan 


3! 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


execrable actor, who bellows, and with 
grunts that would disgrace a water-carrier 
launches the verse that should go forth as 
if on pinions ! , . , Secundo: is my secret. 

THE OLD BurGHER (behind CYRANO). 
3ut without compunction you deprive us 
of hearing La Clorise. J am deter- 
mined... 

CYRANO (turning his chair around so as 
to face the old gentleman ; respectfully). 
Venerable mule, old Baro’s verses being 
what they are, I do it without compunc- 
tion, as you say. 

THE PRECIEUSES (in the boxes). Ha!... 


Ho! . . . Our own Baro! . . . My dear, 
did you hear that? Howcan such a thing 
be Said? J.) Hal ..°) Hokwam 


CYRANO (turning his chair so as to face 
the boxes ; gallantly). Beautiful creatures, 
do you bloom and shine, be ministers of 
dreams, your smilesouranodyne. Inspire 
poets, but poems . . . spare to judge! 

BELLEROSE. But the money which must 
be given back at the door! 

Cyrano (turning his chair to face the 
stage). Bellerose, you have said the only 
intelligent thing that has, as yet, been said! 
Far from me to wrong by so much as a 
fringe the worshipful mantle of These 


32 


Cyrano de Bergerac, 


pis. . . . (He rises and flings a bag upon 
the stage.) Catch! ... and keep quiet! 
Tue House (dazzled). Ah! ... Oh!... 
JODELET (nimbly picking up the bag, 
weighing it with his hand). For such a 
price, you are authorized, monsieur, to 
some and stop the performance every day! 


THe House. Hoo!... Hool... 
JODELET, Should we be hooted in a 
body!.. 


BELLEROSE. The house must be evacu- 
ated! 

JODELET. Evacuate it! 

(The audience begins to leave ; CYRANO 
looking on with a satisfied air. The crowd, 
however, becoming interested in the follow- 
ing scene, the exodus is suspended. The 
women in the boxes who were already stand- 
ing and had put on their wraps, stop to 
listen and end by resuming their seats.) 

Le Bret (to CyrRANO). What you have 
done... ismad! 

A Bore. Montfleury!. . . the eminent 
actor! ... Whatascandal! ... But the 
Duc de Candale is his patron! ... Have 
you a patron, you ? 

Cyrano. No! 

THE Bore. You have not 

Cyrano. No! 


33 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


THE Bore. What? Youare not pro 
tected by some great nobleman under the 
cover of whose name... . 

CYRANO (exasperated). No, I have told 
you twice. Must I say the same thing 
thrice? No, Ihave no protector. .. (hand 
on sword) but this will do. 

THE Borge. Then, of course, you will 
leave town. 

Cyrano. That will depend. 

THE Bore. But the Duc de Candale has 
aionme arm... 

Cyrano. Not so long aS mine... 
(pointing to his sword) pieced out witb 
this! 

THE Bore. But you cannot have the 
presumption... 

CYRANO. I can, yes. 

THE BorE. But... 


Cyrano. And now,... face about! 
THE BorE. But... 
Cyrano. Face about, I say... or 


else, tell me why you are looking at my 
nose. 

THE Bore (bewildered). I... 

CYRANO (advancing upon him). In what 
is it unusual? 

THE Bor® (backing). Your worship is 
mistaken 


34 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Cyrano (same business as above). Is it 
flabby and pendulous, like a proboscis ? 

THE BorE. Ineversaid... 

Cyrano. Or hooked like a hawk’s beak ? 

tum bore. I... 

Cyrano. Do you discern a mole upon 
the tip ? 

THE BorE. But... 

Cyrano. Or is a fly disporting himself 
thereon ? What is there wonderful about 
it ? 

THE BorE. Oh... 

Cyrano. Is it a freak of nature? 

THE Bore. But I had refrained from 
casting so much as a glance at it! 

Cyrano. And why, I pray, should you 
not look at it ? 

fae font. ihad... 

Cyrano. So it disgusts you ? 

THE Bore. Sir... 

Cyrano. Its color strikes you as un. 
wholesome ? 

THE Bore. Sir... 

Cyrano. Its shape, unfortunate ? 

THE Bore. But far from it ! 

Cyrano. Then wherefore that depre- 
ciating air? . . . Perhaps monsieur thinks 
it a shade too large? 

THE Borz. Indeed not. No, indeed, 


35 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


I thinkitsmall . . . small,—I should have 
said, minute ! 

Cyrano. What? How? Charge me 
with such a ridiculous defect? Small, my 
nose? Ho!.. 

THE Bore. Heavens! 

Cyrano. Enormous, my nose!... 
Contemptible stutterer, snub-nosed and 
flat-headed, be it known to you that Iam 
proud, proud of such an appendage! inas- 
much as a great nose is properly the index 
of an affable, kindly, courteous man, witty, 
liberal, brave, such as Iam! and such as 
you are for evermore precluded from sup- 
posing yourself, deplorable rogue! For the 
inglorious surface my hand encounters 
above your ruff, is no less devoid—(Strikes 
him). 

THE Borg, Ai! ai!... 

Cyrano. Of pride, alacrity and sweep, 
of perception and of gift, of heavenly 
spark, of sumptuousness, to sum up all, of 
NOSE, than that (turns him around by the 
shoulders and suits the action to the word), 
which stops my boot below your spine! 

THE BorE (running off). Help! The 
watch! ... 

Cyrano. Warning to the idle who 
might find entertainment in my organ of 


36 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


emell.... And if the facetious fellow 
be of birth, my custom is, before I let him 
go, to chasten him, in front, and higher up, 
with steel, and not with hide! 

DE GUICHE (who has stepped down from 
the stage with the marquises), He is 
becoming tiresome! 

VALVERT (shrugging his shoulders). It 
is empty bluster! 

De GuicHE. Will no one take him 
up? 

VaALvERT. No one?... Wait! I will 
have one of those shots at him! (He ap- 
proaches CYRANO who is watching him, and 
stops in front of him, inan attitude of silly 
swagger.) Your... your nose is... 
errr... Yournose ... is very large! 

CYRANO (gravely). Very. 

VALVERT (laughs). Ha!... 

Cyrano (imperturbable). Is that all? 

WabverT. But... 

Cyrano. Ah, no, young man, that is 
not enough! You might have said, dear 
me, there areathousand things . . . vary- 
ing the tone... For instance . . . here 
you are:—Aggressive: ‘‘I, monsieur, if I 
had such a nose, nothing would serve but 
TI must cut it off!” Amicable: ‘‘It must 
be in your way while drinking; you ought 

a7 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


@ have a special beaker made!” Descrip: 
five: ‘‘It is a crag!... @ pealihaie es 
promontory! ...A promonotory, did I 
say? ... Itisapeninsula!” Inquisitive: 
‘¢ What may the office be of that oblong 
receptacle? Is it an inkhorn or a scissor- 
ease?” Mincing: ‘‘Do you so dote on 
birds, you have, fond as a father, been at 
pains to fit the little darlings with a roost?” 
Blunt: ‘‘ Tell me, monsieur, you, when you 
smoke, is it possible you blow the vapor 
through your nose without a neighbor cry- 
ing ‘‘The chimney is afire?” Anxious: 
‘¢Go with caution, I beseech, lest your head, 
dragged over by that weight, should drag 
you over!” Tender: ‘‘ Have a little sun- 
shade made for it! Itmight get freckled!’ 
Learned: ‘‘ None but the beast, monsieur, 
mentioned by Aristophanes, the hippo- 
campelephantocamelos, can have borne 
beneath his forehead so much cartilage and 
bone!” Off-hand: ‘‘ What, comrade, is 
that sort of peg in style? Capital to hang 
pne’s hat upon!” Emphatic: ‘‘No wind 
ran hope, O lordly nose, to give the whole 
of you a cold, but the Nor-Wester!” Dra- 
matic: ‘‘ It is the Red Sea when it bleeds!” 
Admiring: ‘‘What a sign for a perfumer’s 
shop!” Lyrical: ‘‘ Art thou a Triton, and 
38 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


fs that thy conch?” Simple: ‘‘A monus 
ment! When is admission free?” Deferent: 
‘¢ Suffer, monsieur, that I should pay you 
my respects: that is what I call possessing 
# Gouse of your own!” Rustic:  * Hi, 
boys! Call that a nose? Ye don’t gull 
me! It’s either a prize carrot or else a 
stunted gourd!” Military: ‘‘ Level against 
the cavalry!” Practical: ‘‘ Will you put 
it up for raffle? Indubitably, sir, it will 
be the feature ofthe game!” And finally 
in parody of weeping Pyramus: ‘‘ Be- 
hold, behold the nose that traitorously de- 
stroyed the beauty of its master! and is 
blushing for the same !”—That, my dear 
sir, or something not unlike, is what you 
would have said to me, had you the small- 
est leaven of letters orof wit ; but of wit, O 
most pitiable of objects made by God, you 
never had a rudiment, and of letters, you 
have just those that are needed to spell 
‘¢ fool !”— But, had it been otherwise, and 
had you been possessed of the fertile fancy 
requisite to shower upon me, here, in this 
noble company, that volley of sprightly 
pleasantries, still should you not have de- 
livered yourself of so much as a quarter of 
the tenth part of the beginning of the 
first. . . . ForIlet off these good things at 


39 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


myself, and with sufficient zest, but de 
not suffer another to let them off at me! 

DE GUICHE (attempting to lead away the 
amazed vicomte). Let be, vicomte! 

VALVERT. That insufferable haughty 
bearing! ... A clodhopper without... 
without so much as gloves . . . who goes 
abroad without points . . . or bow- 
knots! ... 

CyRANO. My foppery is of the inner 
man. I do not trick myself out likea pop- 
injay, but I am more fastidious, if I am 
not so showy. I would not sally forth, by 
any chance, not washed quite clean of an 
affront; my conscience foggy about the 
eye, my honor crumpled, my nicety black- 
rimmed. I walk with all upon me fur- 
bished bright. I plume myself with inde- 
pendence and straightforwardness. It is 
not a handsome figure, it is my soul, I hold 
erect as ina brace. I go decked with ex- 
ploits in place of ribbon bows. I taper to 
a point my wit like a moustache. And at 
my passage through the crowd true sayings 
ring like spurs! 

VALVERT. But, sir... 

Cyrano. I am without gloves?..a 
mighty matter! TIonly had one left, ofa 
very ancient pair, and even that became 

40 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


8 burden tome. . . I left itin somebody’s 
face. 

VALVERT. Villain, clod-poll, flat-foot, 
refuse of the earth ! 

Cyrano (taking off his hat and bowing 
as if the VicomTE had been introducing 
himself). Ah?... And mine, Cyrano- 
Savinien-Hercule of Bergerac ! 

VALVERT (exasperated). Buffoon! 

Cyrano (giving a sudden cry, as if seized 
with acramp). Ail... 

VALVERT (who had started toward the 
back, turning). What is he saying now ? 

CYRANO (screwing his face as tf in pain). 
It must have leave to stir... it has a 
cramp! It is bad for it to be kept still so 
long ! 

VALVERT. What is the matter ? 

Cyrano. My rapier prickles like a foct 
asleep ! 

VALVERT (drawing). So be it! 

Cyrano. I shall give you a charming 
little hurt ! 

VALVERT (contemptuous). A poet! 

Cyrano. Yes, a poet, ... and to 
such an extent, that while we fence, I 
will, hop! extempore, compose you a 
ballade ! 

VALVERT. A ballade? 


4! 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Cyrano. I fear you do not know what 
that is. 

VALVERT. | But .) 2... 

CYRANO (as if sayingalesson). The bal- 
lade is composed of three stanzas of eight 
lines each. . . 

VALVERT (stamps with his feet). Oh!... 

CyRANO (continuing). And an envoi of 
four. 

WN ALVRRE, 0 YOU) 4 \5)\. 

Cyrano. I will with the same breath 
fight you and compose one. And at the 
last line, I will hit you. 

VALVERT. Indeed you will not! 


VyraANno. No? ... (Declaiming). 
Ballade of the duel which in Burgundy 
House 
Monsieur de Bergerac fought with a jack- 
anapes. 
VaLverT. And what is that, if you 
please ? 


CyrRANO. That is the title. 
THE AUDIENCE (at the highest pitch of 


excitement). Make room! .. . Good 
Sport! . .. Stand aside! ... Keep 
Bil fs... 


(Tableau. A ring, in the pit, of the in- 
terested ; the MARQUISES and OFFICERS scat- 
tered among the BURGHERS and CoMMON 


42 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


PEOPLE. The PaGEs have climbed on the 
shoulders of various ones, the better to see. 
All the women are standing in the boxes. 
At the right, DE GUICHE and his attendant 
gentlemen. At the left, LE Bret, Ra- 
GUENEAU, CUIGY, etc.) 

CYRANOo (closing his eyesa second). Wait. 
I am settling upon the rhymes. There. I 
have them. (In declaiming, he suits the 
action to the word.) 


Of my broad felt made lighter, 
I cast my mantle broad, 

And stand, poet and fighter, 
To do and to record. 

I bow, I draw my sword. | 
En garde ! with steel and wit 
I play you at first abord ... 
At the last line, I hit! 


(They begin fencing.) 


You should have been politer; 
Where had you best be gored ? 
The left side or the right——ah ? 
Or next your azure cord ? 

Or where the spleen is stored ? 
Or in the stomach pit ? 

Come we to quick accord ... 
At the last line, I hit! 


43 


Cyrano De Bergerac. 


You falter, you turn whiter ? 

You do so to afford 

Your foe a rhyme in “‘iter”?...6 
You thrust at me—-I ward— 

And balance is restored. 

Laridon ! Look to your spit!... 
No, you shall not be floored 
Before my cue to hit ! 


(He announces solemnly.) 


ENVOI. 


Prince, call upon the Lord!... 
I skirmish . . . feinta bit... 
Tlunge!... Ikeep my word ! 


(The VicoMTE staggers; CYRANO bows. 
At the last line, I hit ! 


(Acclamations. Applause from the boxes. 
Flowers and handkerchiefs are thrown. 
The OFFICERS surround and congratulate 
CyRANO. RAGUENEAU dances with delight. 
LE Bret is tearfully joyous and at the same 
time highly troubled. The friends of the 
VicomTE support him off the stage.) 

THE Crown (in a long shout). Ah!..-. 

A Licut-CAVALRY Man. Superb! 

A Woman. Sweet ! 

RAGUENEAU. Astounding \ 


44 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


A Marouis. Novel! 

LE Bret. Insensate ! 

THE CROWD (pressing around CYRANO). 
Congratulations! . . . Welldone! ... 
Bravol'. . 

A Woman’s Voice. He isa hero! 

A MOovsQueETAIRE (striding swiftly to- 
ward CyYRANO, with outstretched hand). 
Monsieur, will youallow me? It was quite, 
quite excellently done, and I think I know 
whereof I speak: But, as a fact, I ex- 
pressed my mind before, by making a 
huge noise. . _ . (He retires.) 

Cyrano (to CulIaGy}. Who may the 
gentleman be ? 

Cuiay. D’Artagnan. 

LE Bret (to Cyrano, taking his arm), 
Come, I wish to talk with you. 

Cyrano. Wait till the crowd has 
thinned. (To BELLEROSE). I may remain ? 

BELLEROSE (deferentially). Why, cer- 
fommiy hi. 

(Shouts are heard outside.) 

JODELET (after looking). They are hoot- 
ing Montfleury. 

BELLEROSE (solemnly). Sic transit! .. 
Un a different tone, to the doorkeeper and 
the candle snuffer.) Sweep and _ close. 
Leave the lights. We shall come back, 


45 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


after eating, to rehearse a new farce for 
to-morrow. (Hxeunt JODELET and BELLE 
ROSE, after bowing very low to CYRANO.) 

THE DOORKEEPER (fo CYRANO). Mon: 
sieur will not be going to dinner ? 

Cyranoe It) 24°. No: 

(The doorkeeper withdraws.) 

Le Bret (to Cyrano). And this, be 
cause?... 

CYRANO (proudly). Because... (ina 
different tone, having seen that the door. 
keeper is too far to overhear). I have not 
a penny ! 

LE Bret (making the motion of flinging 
a bag). How is this? The bag of 
crowns. ... 

Cyrano. Monthly remittance, thou 
lastedst but a day ! 

LE Bret. And to keep you the remain- 
der of the month?... 

Cyrano. Nothing is left! 

Le Bret. But then, flinging that bag, 
what a child’s prank ! 

Cyrano. But whata gesture!... 

THE SWEETMEAT-VENDER (coughing be- 
hind her little counter). Hm! .. « (CYRANG 
and LE Bret turn toward her. She comes 
timidly forward.) Monsieur, to know you 
have noteaten . . . makes my heart ache, 


46 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


{(Pouiting to the sweetmeat-stand.) I have 
there all thatisneeded. . . . (impulsively), 
Help yourself ! 

CyRANO (taking off hishat). Dear child, 
despite my Gascon pride, which forbids 
that I should profit at your hand by the 
most inconsiderable of dainties, I fear too 
much lest a denial should grieve you: I 
will accept therefore . . . (He goes to the 
stand and selects), Oh, a trifle!...A 
grape off this. . . (She proffers the bunch, 
he takes a single grape.) No... one! 
This glass of water . . . (Shestarts to pour 
wine into it, hestopsher.) No... clear! 
And half a macaroon. (He breaks in twa 
the macaroon, and returns half.) 

LE Bret. This comes near being silly! 

SWEETMEAT VENDER. Oh, you will take 
something more! .. . 

Cyrano. Yes. Your hand to kiss, 
(He kisses the hand she holds out to him, as 
if it were that of a princess.) 

SWEETMEAT VENDER. Monsieur, I thank 
you. (Curtseys.) Good evening! (Evwit.) 

CyRANO (to LE BRET). I am listening. 
(He establishes himself before the stand, 
sets the macaroon before him,) Dinner! 
(does the same with the glass of water), 
Drink! (and with the grape). Dessert | 


47 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


(He sits down.) La! letmebegin! Iwas 
as hungry as a wolf! (Hating.) You 
were saying ? 

Le Bret. That if you listen to none but 
those great boobies and swashbucklers your 
judgment will become wholly perverted. 
Inquire, will you, of the sensible, concern- 
ing the effect produced to-day by your 
prowesses. 

CyRANO (finishing hismacaroon). Enor- 
mous! 

Le Bret. Thecardinal... 

Cyrano (beaming). He was there, the 
cardinal ? 

Le Bret. Must have found what you 
2 a a 

Cyrano. Toa degree, original. 

ie Brer, Still... 

Cyrano. He is a poet. It cannot be 
distasteful to him wholly that one should 
deal confusion to a fellow-poet’s play. 

LE Bret. But, seriously, you make too 
many enemies! 

Cyrano (biting into the grape). How 
many, thereabouts, should you think 1 
made to-night ? 

Le Bret. Eight and forty. Not men 
tioning the women. 

Cyrano. Come, tell them over! 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Le Bret. Montfleury, the old merchant, 
De Guiche, the Vicomte, Baro, the whole 
Academy... 

Cyrano. Enough! You steep me in 
bliss! 

Le Bret. But whither will the road you 
follow lead you? What can your object 
be ? 

Cyrano. I was wandering aimlessly; 
too many roads were open . . . too many 
resolves, too complex, allowed of being 
taken. I took... 

LE Bret. Which ? 

Cyrano. By far the simplest of them 
all. I decided to be, in every matter, al- 
ways, admirable! 

LE Bret (shrugging his shoulders). That 
will do.—But tell me, will you not, the 
motive—look, the true one !—of your dis- 
like to Montfleury. 

CyrRANo (rising). That old Silenus, who 
has not seen his knees this many a year, 
still believes himself a delicate desperate 
danger to the fair. And as he struts and 
burrs upon the stage, makes sheep’s-eyes 
at them with his moist frog’s-eyes. And I 
have hated him... oh, properly! ... 
since the night he was so daring as ta 
cast his glance on her ... her, whom 


% 49 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Oh, I thought I saw a slug crawl over q 
flower ! 

LE BRET (amazed). Hey? What? Ia 
it possible? ... 

CYRANO (with a bitter laugh). That I 
should love? (In a different tone, seriously.) 
I love. 

Le Bret. And may one know?... 
You never told me. . . 

Cyrano. Whom I love?... Come, 
think a little. The dream of being beloved, 
even by the beautiless, is made, to me, an 
empty dream indeed by this good nose, 
my forerunner ever by a quarter of an hour. 


Hence, whom should Ilove? . . . It seems 
superfluous to tell you! ...Ilove... 
it was inevitable! . .. the most beautiful 


that breathes ! 

LE Bret. The most beautiful? ... 

Cyrano. No less, in the whole world! 
And the most resplendent, and the most 
delicate of wit, and among the golden- 
haired . . . (with overwhelming despair) 
Still the superlative ! 

LE Bret. Dear me, what is this fair one? 

Cyrano. All unawares, a deadly snare, 
exquisite without concern to be so, A 
snare of nature’s own, a musk-rose, in 
which ambush Love lies low. Who hag 

S50 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


geen her smile remembers the ineffable ! 
There is not a thing so common but she 
turns it into prettiness; and in the merest 
nod or beck she can make manifest all the 
attributes of a goddess. No, Venus! you 
cannot step into your iridescent shell, nor, 
Dian, you, walk through the blossoming 
groves, as she steps into her chair and 
walksin Paris ! 

Le Bret. Sapristi! Iunderstand! It 
is clear ! 

Cyrano. It is pellucid. 

Le Bret. Magdeleine Robin, your 
rousin ? 

Cyrano. Yes, Roxane. 

LE Bret. But, what could be bette. ? 
You love her? Tellherso! You covered 
yourself with glory in her sight a moment 
pince. 

Cyrano. Look well at me, dear friend, 
and tell me how much hope you think can 
be justly entertained with this protuber- 
ance. Oh, I foster no illusions!... 
Sometimes, indeed, yes, in the violet dusk, 
[ yield, even I! to a dreamy mood. I 
penetrate some garden that lies sweeten 
ing the hour. With my poor great devi: 
of anose I sniff the April. . . . AndasI 
follow with my eyes some woman passing 

qI 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


with some cavalier, I think how dear 
would I hold having to walk beside me, 
linked like that, slowly, in the soft moon- 
light, such a one! I kindle—I forget— 
and then... then suddenly I see the 
shadow of my profile upon the garden- 
wall! 

LE Bret (touched.) My friend... 

Cyrano. Friend, I experience a bad 
half hour sometimes, in feeling so un- 
sightly. . . and alone. 

LE BRET (in quick sympathy, taking his 
hand). You weep ? 

Cyrano. Ah, God forbid! That? 
Never! No, that would be unsightly to 
excess! That a tear should course the 
whole length of this nose! Never, solong 
as Iam accountable, shall the divine loveli- 
ness of tears be implicated with so much 
gross ugliness! Mark me well, nothing 
is so holy as are tears, nothing ! and never 
shall it be that, rousing mirth through me, 
a single one of them shall seem ridiculous ! 

LE BRET. Come, donotdespond ! Love 
is a lottery. 

Cyrano. (shaking his head). No! I 
love Cleopatra: do I resemble Cesar? I 
worship Berenice: do I put you in mind of 
Titus ? 


52 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Le Bret. But your courage... and 
your wit !—The little girl who but a mo- 
ment ago bestowed on you that very mod- 
est meal, her eyes, you must have seen as 
much, did not exactly hate you ! 

CyRANO (impressed). That is true! 

Le Bret. You see? So, then !—But 
Roxane herself, in following your duel, 
went liiy-pale. 

Cyrano. Lily-pale?... 

Le Bret. Her mind, her heart as well, 
are struck with wonder! Be bold, speak 
to her, in order that she may... . 

Cyrano. Laugh in my face! ... 

No, there is but one thing upon earth I 
fear. . . . It is that. 

THE DOORKEEPER (admitting the DUENNA 
to CYRANO). Monsieur, you are inquired 
for. 

Cyrano (seeing the duenna). Ah, my 
God! .. . her duenna! 

THE DUENNA (with a great curtsey). 
Somebody wishes to know of her valor- 
ous cousin where one may, in private, see 
him. 

CYRANO (upset). See me ? 

THE DUENNA (with curtsey). See you. 
There are things for your ear. 

CyRANO. Thereare... ? 


53 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


THE DUENNA (othercurtsey). 'Things. 

CYRANO (staggering). Ah,myGod!... 

THE DuENNA. Somebody intends, to- 
morrow, at the earliest roses of the dawn, 
to hear Mass at Saint Roch. 

Cyrano (upholds himself by leaning on 
Lz Bret). Ah, my God! 

THE DUENNA. That over, where might 
one step in a moment, have a little talk ? 

CYRANO (losing his senses). Where? .. . 
CeeaButices. / Ah, my Gow! 

THE DUENNA. Expedition, if you please. 

Cyrano. Iamcasting about... 

THE DuUENNA. Where ? 


Cyrano. At... at... ate 
neau’s . . . the pastrycook’s. 

THE DUENNA. He lodges? 

Cyrano. In... In Rue... Ah, my 


God! my God! .. . St. Honoré. 

THE DurENNA (retiring). We will be 
there. Do not fail. At seven. 

Cyrano. I will not fail. 

(Hait DUENNA.) 

CyRANno (falling on LE BRET’s neck). Ta 
me... fromher... ameeting! 

Le Bret. Well, your gloom is dis: 
pelled ? 

Cyrano. Ah, to whatever end it may 
be, she is aware of my existence ! 


94 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


LE Bret. And now you will be calm ? 

Cyrano (beside himself). Now, I shall 
be fulminating and frenetical! I want an 
army all complete to put to rout! I have 
ten hearts andtwenty arms . . . I cannot 
now be suited with felling dwarfs to 
earth. . . . (Atthe top of hislungs.) Giants 
are what I want ! 

(During the last lines, ou the stage at 
the back, shadowy shapes of players have 
been moving about. The rehearsal has 
begun; the fiddlers have resumed their 
places.) 

A VoicE (from the stage). Hey! Psst! 
Over there! A little lower. Weare try- 
ing to rehearse ! 

Cyrano (laughing). We are going? 
(He goes toward the back.) 

(Through the street door, enter Cuiey, 
BRISSAILLE, several OFFICERS supporting 
LIGNIERE in a state of complete intoxica 
tion.., 

Cuicy. Cyrano! 

Cyrano. What is this ? 

Cuicy. A turdus vinaticus we are bring 
ing you. 

CYRANO (recognizing him). Ligniére! 
Hey, what has happened to you? 

Cuicy. He is looking for you. 


55 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


BRISSAILLE. He cannot go home. 

Cyrano. Why? 

LIGNIERE (in a thick voice, showing him 
a bit of crumpled paper.) This note bids 
me beware ... A hundred men against 
me... on account of lampoon.... 
Grave danger threatening me. . . . Porte 
de Nesle . . . must pass it to get home. 
Let me come and sleep under your roof. 

Cyrano. A hundred, did you say ?— 
You shall sleep at home! 

LIGNIERE (frightened). But... 

CYRANO (in a terrible voice, pointing te 
the lighted lantern which the DOORKEEPER 
stands swinging as he listens to this scene). 
Take that lantern (LIGNIERE hurriedly takes 
it) and walk!.. . I swear to tuck you in 
your bed to-night myself. (To the Or- 
FICERS.) You, follow at a distance. You 
may look on! 

Cuicgy. Butahundred men... 

Cyrano. Are not one man too many 
for my mood to-night! 

(The players, in their several costumes, 
have stepped down from the stage and come 
nearer.) 

Le Bret. But why take under your 
especial care... 

Cyrano. Still Le Bret is not satisfied f 


56 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


LE Bret. That most commonplace of 
sots ? 

CYRANO (slapping LIGNIERE on the shoul: 
der). Because this sot, this cask of mus- 
catel, this hogshead of rosolio, did once 
upon a time a wholly pretty thing., On 
leaving Mass, having seen her whom he 
loved take holy-water, as the rite pre- 
scribes, he, whom the sight of water puts 
to flight, ran to the holy-water bowl, and 
stooping over, drank it dry... . 

AN ACTRESS (in the costume of soubrette) 
Tiens, that was nice ! 

Cyrano. Was it not, soubrette ? 

THE SOUBRETTE (to the others). But why 
are they, a hundred, all against one poor 
poet ? 

Cyrano. Let us start! (To the Or- 
FICERS.) And you, gentlemen, when you 
see me attack, whatever you may suppose 
to be my danger, do not stir to second 
me ! 

ANOTHER OF THE ACTRESSES (jumping 
from the stage). Oh, I will not miss see- 
ing this ! 

Cyrano. Come! 

ANOTHER ACTRESS (likewise jumping 
from the stage, to an elderly actor). Cas 
sandre, will you not come ? 


57 


Cyrano de Bergerac. : 


Cyrano. Come, allof you! the Doctor 
[sabel, Leander, all! and you shall lend, 
charming fantastic swarm, an air oi 
Italian farce to the Spanish drama in view. 
Yes, you shall be a tinkling heard abovea 
roar, like beils about a tambourine ! 

ALL THE WOMEN (in great glee). Bravo! 
0, 4 durry!. ..Amantle!) 5.2734; 

JODELET. Let us go! 

CyRANo (to the fiddlers). You willfavor 
us with a tune, messieurs the violinists ! 

(The fiddlers fall into the train. The 
lighted candles which furnished the foot- 
lights are seized and distributed. The pro- 
cession becomes a torchlight procession.) 

Cyrano. Bravo! Officers, beauty in 
fancy dress, and, twenty steps ahead .. . 
(he takes the position he describes). I, by 
myself, under the feather stuck, with her 
own hand, by Glory, in my hat! Proud 
as a Scipio trebly Nasica !—It is under- 
stood ? Formal interdiction to interfere 
with me!—We are ready? One! Twoi 
Three ! Doorkeeper, open the door ! 

(The DOORKEEPER opens wide the folding 
door. A picturesque corner of Old Paria 
appears, bathed in moonlight.) 

Cyrano. Ah!... Paris floats in dim 
nocturnal mist. . . . The sloping blueish 

58 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


roofs are washed with moonlight. ...A 
setting, exquisite indeed, offers itself for the 
scene about to be enacted. ... Yonder, 
under silvery vapor wreathes, like a mys 
terious magic mirror, glimmers the Seine. 
,. . And you shall see what you shall see ! 

AutL. To the Porte de Nesle ! 

CyRAno (standing on the threshold). To 
the Porte de Nesle! (Before crossing 1t, 
he turns tothe SouBRETTE.) Were you not 
asking, mademoiselle, why upon that soli- 
tary rhymster a hundred men were set ¢ 
(He draws his sword, and tranquilly). Be- 
cause it was well known he is a friend of 
mine! (EHwit.) 

(To the sound of the violins, by the flick- 
ering light of the candles, the procession— 
LIGNIERE staggering at the head, the Ac- 
TRESSES arm in arm with the OFFICERS, the 
players capering behind,—follows out inte 
the night. Curtain.) 


59 


ACT SECOND. 
THE COOKSHOP OF POETS. 


RAGUENEAU’s shop, vast kitchen at the 
torner of Rue St. Honore and Rue de 
lv Arbre-Sec, which can be seen at the back, 
through the glass door, gray inthe early 
dawn. 

At the left, in front, a counter overhung 
by a wrought-iron canopy from which 
geese, ducks, white peacocks are hanging. 
In large china jars, tall nosegays composed. 
of the simpler flowers, mainly sunflowers. 
On the same side, in the middle distance, an 
enormous fireplace, in front of which, be- 
tween huge andirons, each of which sup- 
ports a small iron pot, roasting meats drip 
into appropriate pans. 

At the right, door in the front wing. In 
the middle distance, a staircase leading to 
a loft, the interior of which is seen through 
open shutters ; a spread table lighted by a 
small Flemish candelabrum, shows it to be 
an eating-room. A wooden gallery con 

60 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


ftnuing the stairway, suggests other simy- 
lar rooms to which it may lead. 

In the center of the shop, an tron hoop— 
which can be lowered by means of a rope,— 
to which large roasts are hooked. 

In the shadow, under the stairway, ovens 
are glowing. Copper molds and saucepans 
are shining ; spits turning, hams swinging, 
pastry pyramids showing fair. It is the 
early beginning of the workday. Bustling 
of hurried scullions, portly cooksand young 
cook’s-assistants; swarming of caps dec- 
orated with hen feathers and guinea-fowl 
wings. Wicker crates and broad sheets of 
tin are brought in loaded with brioches ana 
tarts. 

There are tables covered with meats 
and cakes; others, surrounded by chairs, 
await customers. In a corner, a smaller 
table, littered with papers. At the rise 
of the curtain, RAGUENEAU is discovered 
seated at this table, writing with an 
inspired air, and counting upon his 
fingers. 


First Pasrrycook (bringing in a tall 
molded pudding). Nougat of fruit ! 
SECCUD Fastrycook (bringing in the dish 
henanws). Custard ! 
61 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


THIRD PastrycookK (bringing in a fowl 
roasted in its feathers). Peacock ! 

FouRTH PASTRYCOOK (bringing in a 
tray of cakes), Mince-pies ! 

FIFTH PastTRYCOOK (bringing in a deep 
earthen dish). Beef stew ! 

RAGUENEAU (laying down his pen, and 
looking up). Daybreak already plates 
with silver the copper pans! Time, 
Ragueneau, to smother within thee the 
singing divinity !| The hour of the lute 
will come anon—now is that of the ladle ! 
(He rises; speaking to one of the cooks.) 
You, sir, be so good as to lengthen this 
gravy,—it is too thick ! 

THE Cook. How much ? 

RaGuENEAU. Three feet. (Goes further.) 

THE Cook. What does he mean ? 

First Pastrycook. Let me have the 
tart ! 

SECOND Pastrycook. Thedumpling ! 

RAGUENEAU (standing before the fires 
place). Spread thy wings, Muse, and fly 
further, that thy lovely eyes may not be 
reddened at the sordid kitchen fire! (To 
one of the cooks, pointing at some small 
loaves of bread.) You have improperly 
placed the cleft in those loaves; the 
ezsura belongs in the middle,—between 

62 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


the hemistichs! (To another of the 
Cooks, pointing at an unfinished pasty.) 
This pastry palace requires a roof! (Toa 
young cook’s-apprentice, who, seated upon 
the floor, is putting fowls on a spit.) And 
you, on that long spit, arrange, my son, in 
pleasing alternation, the modest pullet and 
the splendid turkey-cock,—even as our 
wise Malherbe alternated of old the greater 
with the lesser lines, and 80_with roasted 
fowls compose a poem | 

ANOTHER APPRENTICE (coming forward 
with a platter covered by a napkin). Mas- 
ter, in your honor, see what I have baked. 

. Lhope you are pleased with it! 

RAGUENEAU (ecstatic). A lyre! 

THE APPRENTICE. Of pie-crust ! 

RacuEnEau (touched). With candied 
fruits ! 

Tur APPRENTICE. And the strings, see, 
—of spun sugar ! 

RAGUENEAU (giving him money). Go, 
drink my health ! (Catching sight of Lisk 
who is entering.) Hush! My wife!... 
Move on, and hidethat money. ( To LIsE, 
showing her the lyre, with a constrained 
air.) Fine, is it not ? 

LisE. Ridiculous! (She sets a pile of 
wrapping-paper on the counter.) 


63 





Cyrano de Bergerac. 


RAGUENEAU. Paper bags? Good, 
Thanks. (He examines them.) Heavens { 
My beloved books! The masterpieces of 
my friends, — dismembered, — torn ! —to 
fashion paper bags for penny pies !—Ah, 
the abominable case is re-enacted of Or- 
pheus and the Mzenads! 

LisE (drily). And have I not an un- 
questionable right to make what use I can 
of the sole payment ever got from your pal- 
try scribblers of uneven lines ? 

RAGUENEAU. Pismire! Forbear to in- 
sult those divine, melodious crickets! 

LisE. Before frequenting that low crew, 
my friend, you did not use to call mea 
Mznad,—no, nor yet a pismire ! 

RAGUENEAU. Put poems to such a 
use ! 

Lisk. To that use and no other ! 

RaGuENEAU. If with poems you do this, 
I should like to know, Madame, what you 
do with prose ! 

(Two children have come into the shop.) 

RAGUENEAU. What can I do for you, 
little ones ? 

First CHILD. Three patties. 

RAGUENEAU (waiting on them). There 
you are! Beautifully browned, and pip- 
ing hot. . 

64 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


SECOND CHILD. Please, wiil you wrap 
them for us ? 

RAGUENEAU (starting, aside). There goes 
one of my bags! (To the children.) You 
want them wrapped, do you? ( He takes 
one of the paper bags, and as heis about to 
put in the patties, reads.) ‘‘ No otherwise, 
Ulysses, from Penelope departing. ...” 
Not thisone! (He lays it aside and takes 
another. At the moment of putting in the 
patties, hereads.) ‘* Phoebus of the aureate 
locks...” Not that one! (Same busi- 
ness.) 

LisE (owt of patience). Well, what are 
you waiting for ? 

RAGUENEAU. Here we are. Here we 
are. Here weare. (He takes a third bag 
and resigns himself.) The sonnet to Phyl- 
lis!... Itis hard, all the same. 

Lise. It is lucky you made up your 
mind. (Shrugging her shoulders.) Nico- 
Jemus! (She climbs on a chair and ar- 
ranges dishes on a sideboard.) 

RAGUENEAU (taking advantage of her 
back being turned, culls back the children 
who had already reached the door). Psst! 
... Children! ‘Give me back the sonnet 
to Phyllis, and you shall have six patties 
insteed of three! (The children give back 


65 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


the paper-bag, joyfully take the patties 
and exeunt. RAGUENEAU smoothes out the 
crumpled paper and reads declaiming.) 
‘“ Phyllis!” . .. Upon that charming 
name, agrease-spot!.. . “ Phyllis!”... 

(Enter brusquely CYRANO.) 

CyRANO. What time is it ? 

RAGUENEAU (bowing: with eager defer- 
ence). Six o’clock. 

CYRANO (with emotion). In an hour! 
(He comes and goes in the shop.) 

RAGUENEAU (following him). Bravo! I 
$00 was witness. ... 

Cyrano. Of what ? 

RAGUENEAU. Your fight. 

Cyrano. Which ? 

RAGUENEAU. At the Hotel de Bourgogne. 

CYRANO (with disdain). Ah, the duel ! 

RAGUENEAU (admiringly). Yes,—the 
duel in rhyme. 

LisE. He can talk of nothing else. 

Cyrano. Let him! .. . It does ne 
harm. 

RAGUENEAU (thrusting with a spit he has 
peized). ‘* At the last line, I hit?™ “uae 
the last line I hit!”—How fine that is! 
(With growing enthusiasm.) ‘‘ At the last 
line, I— 

Cyrano. What time, Ragueneau ? 

66 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


RAGUENEAU (remaining fixed in the atti- 
tude of thrusting, while he looks at the 
clock). Five minutes past six.—‘‘I hit!” 
(He recovers from his duelling posture.) 
Oh, to be able to make a ballade! 

LisE (to Cyrano, who in passing her 
counter has absentmindedly shaken hands 
with her). What ails your hand? 

Cyrano. Nothing. A scratch. 

RAGUENEAU. You have been exposed to 
some danger ? 

Cyrano. None whatever. 

LisE (shaking her finger at him). I fear 
that is a fib! 

Cyrano. From the swelling of my 
nose? The fib in that case must have been 
good-sized. . . . (Unadifferent tone.) I 
am expecting some one. You will leave us 
alone in here. 

RAGUENEAU. But how can I contrive it? 
My poets shortly will be coming — 

LisE (ironically). For breakfast! 

Cyrano. When I sign to you, you will 
clear the place of them.—What time is it? 

RAGUENEAU. It is ten minutes past six. 

Cyrano (seating himself nervously at 
RAGUENEAU’S table and helping himself ta 
paper). <A pen? 

67 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


RAGUENEAU (taking one from behind his 
ear, and offering it). A swan’s quill. 

A MOUSQUETAIRE (with enormous mous- 
tachios, enters; in a _ stentorian voice). 
Good-morning! 

(LIsE goes hurriedly to him, toward the 
back.) 

CYRANO (turning). What is it? 

RAGUENEAU. A friend of my wife’s,— 
a warrior,—terrible, from his own report. 

Cyrano (taking up the pen again, and 
waving RAGUENEAU away). Hush!... 
(To himself.) Write to her, . . . fold the 
letter, .. . handittoher, . .. and make 
my escape. . . . (Throwing down the pen.) 
Coward! .... ButmayTIperishif Ihave 
the courage to speak to her, . . . tosaya 
single word. .. . (To RAGUENEAU.) What 
time is it ? ; 

RAGUENEAU. A quarter past six. 

CyrRANO (beating his breast). A single 
word of all I carry here! ... Whereas 
in writing. . . (He takes up the pen again.) 
Come, let us write it then, in very deed, 
the love-letter I have written in thought sae 
many times, I have but to lay my soul be- 
side my paper, and copy ! 

(He writes.) 
(Beyond the glass-door, shadowy lank 
63 


Cyrano de Bergerac, 


hesitating shabby forms are seen moving. 
Enter the poets, clad in black, with hany- 
ing hose, sadly mudsplashed.) 

LisE (coming forward, to RAGUENEAU) 
Here they come, your scarecrows! 

First Port (entering, to RAGUENEAU). 
Brother in art! ... 

SeconD Port (shaking both RAGUENEAU’S 
hands). Dear fellow-bard.... 

ToirD Port. Eagle of pastrycooks, 
(sniffs the air), your eyrie smells divine! 

FourtH Port. Phoebus turned baker! 

FirtH Port. Apollo master-cook ! 

RAGUENEAU (surrounded, embraced, 
shaken by the hand). How at his ease & 
ynaan feels at once with them! 

First Port. The reason we are late, is 
the crowd at the Porte de Nesle! 

Seconp Port. Eight ugly ruffians, 
ripped open with the sword, lie weltering 
on the pavement. 

CyrANo (raising his head a_ second). 
Hight? I thought there were only seven. 
(Goes on with his letter.) 

RAGUENEAU (f0 CyRANO). Do you hap- 
pen to know who ,is the hero of this 
event ? 

Cyrano (negligently). I?... No. 

LasE (to the MousQUETAIRE). Do you? 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


THE MovUsQUETAIRE (turning up the endé 
of his moustache). Possibly! 

CYRANO (writing ; from time to time he is 
heard murmuring a word or two,)... ‘I 
love Vous sis'?? 

First Port. A single man, we were 
told, put a whole gang to flight! 

SECOND PoET. Oh, it was a rare sight! 
The ground was littered with pikes, and 
cudgels. . . 

CYRANO (writing). . . ‘‘ Your eyes. . .” 

THIRD PoET. Hats were strewn as far 
gs the Goldsmiths’ square! 

First Port. Sapristi? He must have 
been a madman of mettle... . 

CYRANO (as above). ‘‘... yourlips...” 

First Port. An infuriate giant, the 
doer of that deed ! 


CYRANO (same business). ‘‘... but 
when I see you, I come near to swooning 
with a tender dread . . .” 


SECOND POET (snapping up a tart). 
What have you lately written, Rague 
neau 

-CYRANO (same business). ‘'... whe 
loves you devotedly ...” (In the act of 
signing the letter, he stons, rises, and tucks 
it inside his doublet.) No need to sign it, 
I deliver it myself. 


70 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


RAGUENEAU (to SECOND PoET). I hava 
rhymed a recipe. 


THIRD PoET (establishing himself beside 
a tray of cream puffs). Let us hear this 
recipe! 

FourTH POET (examining a brioche of 
which he has possessed himself). It should 
not wear its cap so saucily on oneside... 
it scarcely looks well! .. (Bites off the 
top.) 

First Port. See, the spice-cake there, 
ogling a susceptible poet with eyes of al. 
mond under citron brows! ... (He takes 
the spice cake.) 

SECOND PoET. Weare listening! 

THIRD POET (slightly squeezing a cream 
puff between his fingers). This puff creams 
at the mouth. . . . I water! 

SEcoND Poet (taking a bite out of the 
large pastry lyre). For once the Lyre will 
nave filled my stomach ! 

RAGUENEAU (who has made ready to re- 
cite, has coughed, adjusted his cap, struck 
an attitude). A recipe in rhyme ! 

SeconD Porr (to First Poet, nudging 
him). Is it breakfast, with you ? 

First Poet (toSECOND PoET). And with 
you, is it dinner ? 


7! 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


RAGUENEAU. How Almond Cheese- Cakes 
should be made. 


Briskly beat to lightness due, 
Eggs, a few; 
With the eggs so beaten, beat— 
Nicely strained for this same use,— 
Lemon-juice, 
Adding milk of almonds, sweet. 


With fine pastry dough, rolled flat, 
After that, 

Line each little scallopped mold; 

Round the sides, light-fingered, spread 
Marmalade; 

Pour the liquid eggy gold, 


Into each delicious pit; 
Prison it 
In the oven,—and, byeand bye, 
Almond zheesecakes will in gay 
Blond array 
Bless your nostril and your eye! 
THE PoEts (their mouths full). Exquis 
ite! . . . Delicious! 


ONE OF THE PoETs (choking). Humph! 
(They go toward the back, eating 


Cyrano, who has been watching them, ap * 
proaches RAGUENEAU.) 


72 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Cyrano. While you recite your works 
to them, have you a notion how they 
stuff ? 

RAGUENEAU (low, with a smile). Yes, I 
see them . .. without looking, lest they 
should beabashed. Igetadouble pleasure 
thus from saying my verses over: I satisfy 
a harmless weakness of which I stand con- 
victed, at the same time as giving those 
who have not fed a needed chance to feed! 

Cyrano (slapping him on the shoulder). 
You, ...I like you! (RAGUENEAU joins 
his friends. CyYRANO looks after him ; then, 
somewhat sharply.) Hey, Lise! (Lisx, 
absorbed in tender conversation with the 
MOUSQUETAIRE, starts and comes forward 
toward CyRANo.) Isthatcaptain.., lay- 
ing siege to you ? 

LISE (offended). My eyes, sir, have ever 
held in respect those who meant hurt to 
my character... . 

Cyrano. For eyes so resolute... I 
thought yours looked a little languishing! 
LIsE (choking with anger). But... 

Cyrano (bluntly). I like your husband. 
Wherefore, Madame Lise, I say he shall 
not be sc . . . horned! 

"aes Tat... . 
Cyrano (raising his voice so as to be heard 


73 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


oy the MovusQuUETAIRE). A word to the 
wise! (He bows to the MOUSQUETAIRE, and 
after looking at the clock, goes to the door 
at the back and stands in watch.) 

LisE (to the MOUSQUETAIRE, who has 
simply returned CYRANO’S bow). Really 
. -- IT am astonished at you. ... Defy 


him .. . to his face! 
THE MOUSQUETAIRE. Tohis face, indeed! 
... to his face! ... (He quickly moves 


off. LisE follows him.) 

Cyrano (from the door at the back, 
signalling to RAGUENEAU that he should 
clear the room). Pst!... 

RAGUENEAU (urging the Ports toward 
the door at the right). We shall be much 
more comfortable in there... . 

CYRANO (impatiently). Pst!... Pst!... 

RAGUENEAU (driving along the Ports). I 
want to read you alittle thing of mine. . .. 

First Port (despairingly, his mouth full). 
But the provisions. .. . 

SECOND PoET. Shall not be parted from 
us! 

(They follow RAGUENEAU 77 procession, 
after making a raid on the eatables.) 

Cyrano. If I feel that there is so much 
as a glimmer of hope . . . I will out with 
my letter! ... 


14 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


(ROXANE, masked, appears behind the 
glass door, followed by the DUENNA.) 

CYRANO (instantly opening the door). 
Welcome! (Approaching the DUENNA.) 
Madame, a word with you! 

THE DUENNA. A dozen. 

Cyrano. Are you fond of sweets ? 

THE DUENNA. To the point of indiges- 
tion! 

Cyrano (snatching some paper bags off 
the counter). Good. Here are two son- 
nets of Benserade’s. . . 

THE DUENNA. Pooh! 

Cyrano. Which I fill for you with 
zrated almond drops. 

THE DUENNA (with a different expression). 
Ha! 

Cyrano. Do you look with favor upon 
the cate they call a trifle ? 

THE Dvenna. I affect it out of measure, 
when it has whipped cream inside. 

CyrRANO. Six shall be yours, thrown in 
with a poem by Saint-Amant. And in 
these verses of Chapelain I place this wedge 
of fruit-cake, light by thesideofthem.... 
Oh! Anddoyoulike tarts .. . little jam 
ones . . . fresh ? 

TEE DuENNA. I dream of them at night! 

Cyrano (loading her arms with cram 


75 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


med paper bags). Do me the favor to ge 
and eat these in the street. 

THE DurENNA. But... 

Cyrano (pushing her out). And do not 
come back till you have finished! (He closes 
the door upon her, comes forward toward 
RoxanE, and stands, bareheaded, at a 
respectful distance.) Blessed forevermore 
among all hours the hour in which, re- 
membering that so lowly a being still 
draws breath, you were so gracious as to 
come to tellme ... totellme?... 

Roxane (who has removed her mask). 
First of all, that I thank you. For that 
churl, that coxcomb yesterday, whom you 
taught manners with your sword, is the 
one whom a great nobleman, who fancies 
himself in love with me... . 

Cyrano. De Guiche? 

Roxane (dropping her eyes). Has tried 
to force upon me as a husband. 

Cyrano. Honorary? (Bowing.) It 
appears, then, that I fought, and lam glad 
of it, not for my graceless nose, but your 
thrice-beautiful eyes. 

Roxane. Further than that... l 
wished ... But, before I can make thé 
confession I have in mind to make, I must 
find in you once more the. . . almost 

76 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


brother, with whom as a child I used ta 
play, in the park—do you remember ?—by 
the lake ! 
Cyrano. Ihavenotforgotten. Yes... 
you came every summer to Bergerac. 
Roxane. You used to fashion lances out 
of reeds. . . 
Cyrano. The silk of the tasselled corn 


furnished hair for your doll. . . 
Roxane. It was the time of long delight- 
fulgames... 


Cyrano, And somewhat sour berries... , 

Roxane. The time when you did every: 
thing I bade you! 

Cyrano. . Roxane, wearing short frocks, 
was known as Magdeleine. 

Roxane. Was I pretty in those days ? 

Cyrano. You were not ill-looking. 

RoxaANE. Sometimes, in your venture- 
some climbings you used to hurt yourself. 
You would come running to me, your hand 
bleeding. And, playing at being your 
mamma, I would harden my voice and 
say... (She takes his hand.) ‘‘ Will 
you never keep out of mischief?” (She 
stops short, amazed.) Oh, it is too much! 
Here you have done it again! (CYRANO 
tries to draw back his hand.) No! Tet 
me look at it! . . . Aren’t you ashamed # 


77 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


A great boy like you! ... How did this 
happen, and where ? 

Cyrano. Oh, fun... near the Porte 
de Nesle. 


RoxAaNnE (sitting down at a table and dip- 
ping her handkerchief into a glass of 
water). Let me have it. 

CyYRANo (sitting down too). So prettily, 
so cheeringly maternal! 

Roxane. And tell me, while I wash this 
naughty bloodaway .. . with how many 
were you fighting ? 

Cyrano. Oh, not quite a hundred. 

RoxANE. Tell me about it. 

Cyrano. No. What does it matter ? 
You tellme, you . . . what you were going 
to tell me before, and did not dare... 

ROXANE (without releasing his hand). I 
do dare,now. I have breathed in courage 
with the perfume of the past. Oh, yes, 
now I dare. Here itis. There is some 
one whom If love. 

OrRano? “Ati Yo) l% 

Roxane. Oh, he does not know it. 

OYRANO. Ali.’ 

Roxane. Asyet.... 

Oyrano. Ah]... 

Roxane. But if he does not know it, he 
goon will. 

78 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Greano, sAh'!". ».,.. 

Roxane. A poor boy who until now 
has loved me timidly, from a distance, 
without daring to speak. ... 


CYRANO Ab! .0.. 

Roxane. No, leave me your hand. It 
is hot, this will cool it... But I have 
read his heart in his face. 

Cynano. Ah !..)... 


ROXANE (completing the bandaging of his 
hand with her small pocket-handkerchief). 
And, cousin, is it not astrange coincidence 
—that he should serve exactly in your 
regiment! 

‘Sveano, Ali! ... 

RoxANnkE (laughing). Yes. Heisacadet, 
in the same company ! 

Cyrano. Ah!... 

Roxane. He bears plain on his forehead 
the stamp of wit, of genius! He is proud, 
noble, young, brave, handsome... . 

CYRANO (rising, pale). Handsome!. . 


RoxaNnE. What... what is the mat- 
ter ? 

CyRANO. Withme?... Nothing!... 
It is... it is... (Showing his hand, 


smiling.) You know! ...It smarts a 
little... 
Roxane. In short, love him. I must 


19 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


tell you, however, that I have never seen 
him save at the play. 

Cyrano. Then you have never spoken 
to each other ? 

RoxANE. Only with our eyes. 

Cyrano. But, then... how can you 
know?... 

Roxane. Oh, under the lindens of Place 
Royale, people will talk. A trustworthy 
gossip told me many things! 

Cyrano. A cadet, did you say ? 

Roxane. <A cadet, in your company. 

CyRANO. His name ? 

RoxanE. Baron Christian de Neuvil- 
lette. 

Cyrano. What? Heis notin thecadets. 

Roxane. Heis! He certainly is, since 
morning. Captain Carbon de Castel- 
Jaloux. 

Cyrano. And quickly, quickly, she 
throws away herheart! . . . Butmy poor 
little girl... 

Tue DUENNA (opening the door at the 
back). Monsieur de Bergerac, I have eatep 
them, every one! 

Cyrano. Now read the poetry printed 
pon the bags! (The DUENNA disappears). 
My poor child, you who can endure noné 
but the choicest language, who savor elo 

80 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


quence and wit, . . . if heshould be a bar 
barian! 
Roxane. No! no!... Hehashairlike 


one of D’Urfé’s heroes! 

Cyrano. If he had on proof as homely 
a wit as he has pretty hair ! 

Roxane. No! No!...I1 cansee ata 
single glance, his utterances are fine, 
pointed... 

Cyrano. Ah, yes! A man’s utterances 
are invariably like his moustache! ... 
Still, if he were aninny?... 

RoxaNE (stamping with her foot). I 
should die, there! 

Cyrano (after a time). You bade me 
come here that you might tell me this? I 
scarcely see the appropriateness, Madame. 

Roxane. Ah, it was because someone 
yesterday let death into my soul by telling 
me that in your company you are all Gas- 
eons, « . . all! 

Cyrano. And that we pick a quarrel 
with every impudent fledgling, not Gas- 
con, admitted by favor to our thorough- 
bred Gascon ranks? That is what you 
heard ? 

Roxane. Yes, and you can imagine how 
distracted I am for him! 

CYRANO (in his teeth). You well may be} 

81 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Roxane. But I thought, yesterday, 
when you towered up, great and invincible, 
giving his due to that miscreant, standing 
your ground against those caitiffs, I thought 
‘* Were he but willing, he of whom all are 
imiawe 3) .”" 

Cyrano. Very well, I will oie your 
little baron. 

Roxane. Ah, you will... you will 
protect him for me?... I have alwaya 
felt for you the tenderest regard! 

CYRANO. Yes, yes. 

RoxaNE. You will be his friend ? 

Cyrano. I will! 

Roxane. And never shall he have to 
fight a duel ? 

CYRANO. I swear it. 

Roxane. Oh, I quite love you!... 
Now I must go. (She hurriedly resumes 
her mask, throws a veil over her head ; says 
absentmindedly). But you have not yet 
told me about last night’s encounter. It 
must have beenamazing! .. . Tellhimta 
writeto me. (She kisses her hand to him.) 
I love you dearly! 

CyYRANO. Yes, yes. 

Roxane. A hundred men against you? 

-. Well, adieu. We are fast friends. 

Cyrano. Yes, yes. 

82 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Roxane. Tell him to write me!...A 
hundred men! You shall tell me another 
time. Imustnot linger now... Ahun- 


dred men! What a heroic thing to do! 

Cyrano (bowing). Oh, I have done 
better since! 

(Hait RoxaANE. CyYRANO stands motion: 
less, staring at the ground. Silence. The 
door at the right opens. RAGUENEAU 
thrusts in his head.) 

RAGNENEAU. May wecome back ? 

CYRANO (without moving). Yes... 

(RAGUENEAU beckons, his friends come in 
again. At the same time, in the doorway 
at the back, appears CARBON DE CASTEL- 
JALOUX, costume of a Captain of the 
Guards. On seeing CYRANO, he gesticulates 
exaggeratedly by way of signal to some- 
one out of sight). 

CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX. He is here! 

Cyrano (looking up). Captain! 

CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX (exultant). 
‘Hero! We know all! .. . About thirty 
of my cadets are out there! ... 

Cyrano (drawing back). But... 

CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX (trying ta 
lead him off). Come! ... You are in re 
quest! 

Cyrano. No! 


83 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX. They are 
drinking across the way, at the Cross of 
the Hilt. 

Cyrano. I... 

CARBON DE CASTEL-J ALOUX (going to the 
door and shouting toward the street corner, 
in a voice of thunder). The hero refuses 
He is not in the humor! 

A Voices (outside). Ah, sandious!... 

(Tumult outside, noise of clanking swords 
and of boots drawing nearer.) 

CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX (rubbing his 
hands). Here they come, across the 
street. . 

THE Capets (entering the cookshop). 
Mille dious! ... Capdedious!... Mor- 
dious! . . . Pocapdedious!... 

RAGUENEAU (backing in alarm). Mes- 
gieurs, are you all natives of Gascony ? 

THE CADETS. All! 

ONE OF THE CAPETS (fo CYRANO). Bravo! 

Cyrano. Baron! 

OTHER CapDET (shaking both ib ci g 
hands). Vivat! 

CyrRANO. Baron! 

THIRD CADET, Let me hug you tomy 
heart! 

CyRANo. Baron! 

SEVERAL Gascons. Let us hug him! 

84 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Cyrano (not knowing which one to an- 
gwer). Baron! ... baron! .. . your 
pardon! 

RAGUENEAU. Messieurs, are you all 
barons ? 

THE Capsts. All! 

RAGUENEAU. Are they truly ? 

First CaDET. Our coats of arms piled 
up would dwindle in the clouds! 

LE BRET (entering, running to CYRANO). 
They are looking for you! A crowd, gone 
mad as March, led by those who were with 
you last night. 

CyYRANO (alarmed). Younever told them 
where to find me?... 

LE Bret (rubbing his hands). I did. 

A BURGHER (entering, followed by a 
number of others). Monsieur, the Marais 
is coming in a body ! 

(The street outside has filled with people. 
Sedan-chairs, coaches stop before the 
door.) 

LE BRET (smiling, lowto CyRANO). And 
Roxane ? 

CyYRANo (quickly). Be quiet! 

THE CROWD (outside.) Cyrano! 

(A rabble bursts into the cookshop. Con- 
fusion. Shouting.) 

RAGUENEAU (standing uponatable). My 


85 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


shop is invaded! They are breaking 
everything! It is glorious! 
PEOPLE (pressing round CYRANO). My 


friend... ..s,amy friend: '.). 4 
CyrRANO. Ihadnotsomany friends... 
yesterday ! 


Le Bret. This is success! 

A Youna Marquis (running toward 
CyRANno, with outstretched hands). If you 
knew, my dearfellow... 

Cyrano. Dear? .. .Fellow?. . 
Where was it we stood sentinel together ? 

OTHER MaRQuis. I wish to present you, 
sir, to several ladies, who are outside in 
my coach. ... 

CyRANO (coldly). But you, to me, by 
whom will you first be presented ? 

LE Bret (astonished). But what is the 
matter with you ? 

Cyrano. Bestill! 

A MAN oF LETTERS (with an inkhorn). 
Will you kindly favor me with the detail¢ 
CE Nhu 

Cyrano. No. 

LE BRET (nudging him). That is Theo- 
phrastus Renaudot, the inventor of the 
gazette. 

Cyrano. Enough! 

LiBret. A sheet close packed with var 

86 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


ious information! It isan idea, they say, 
likely to take firm root and flourish ! 

A Port (coming forward). Monsieur... 

Cyrano. Another! 

THE PoET. Iamanxious to make a pen- 
tacrostic on your name. 

SomEBODY ELsE (likewise approaching 
CyYRANO). Monsieur... 

Cyrano. Enough, I say! 

(At the gesture of impatience which 
CyRANO cannot repress, the crowd draws 
away. DE GUICHE appears, escorted by 
officers; among them CvuiIGy, BRISSAILLE, 
those who followed Cyrano at the end 
of the first act. Cuicy hurries toward 
CYRANO.) 

Ccieay (to Cyrano). Monsieur de Guiche! 
(Murmurs. Every one draws back). He 
comes at the request of the Marshal de 
Gaussion. 

DE GuicHE (bowing to Cyrano). Who 
wishes to express his admiration for your 
latest exploit, the fame of which has 
reached him. 

THE CrowpD. Bravo! 

Cyrano (bowing). The Marshal is quali- 
fied to judge of courage. 

DE GuICHE. He would scarcely have 
helieved the report, had these gentlemen 

87 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


not been able to swear they had seen the 
deed performed. 

Cuiey. With our own eyes! 

LE Bret (low to CYRANO, who wears an 
abstracted air). But... 

CyrRANo. Be silent! 

LE BRET. You appear to be suffer. 
A kt 

CyRANo (starting, and straightening him. 
self). Before these people?... (His 
moustache bristles ; he expands his chest.) 
I... suffering? . . . You shall see! 

DE GUICHE (in whose ear Culcy has been 
whispering). But this is by no means the 
first gallant achievement marking your 
career. You serve in the madcap Gascon 
company, do you not ? 

Cyrano. In the cadets, yes. 

ONE OF THE CADETS (in a great voice), 
Among his countrymen! 

DE GUICHE (considering the Gascons, in 
line behind CyRANO). Ah, ha!—All these 
gentlemen then of the formidable aspect, 
are the famous... . 

CARBON DE CasTEL-JaLoux. Cyrano! 

CYRANO. Captain?... 

CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX. My com- 
pany, I believe, is here in total. Be se 
obliging as to present it to the Count 

82 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Cyrano (taking a step toward DE GUICHE, 
and pointing at the CADETS). 


They are the Gascony Cadets 

Of Carbon de Castel Jaloux; 

Famed fighters, liars, desperates, 

They are the Gascony Cadets! 

All, better-born than pickpockets, 

Talk couchant, rampant, ... pendent, 
too! 

They are the Gascony Cadets * 

Of Carbon de Castel-Jaloux! 


Cat-whiskered,eyed like falconets, 
Wolf-toothed and heron-legged, they hew 
The rabble down that snarlsand threats... 
Cat-whiskered, eyed like falconets! 

Great pomp of plume hides and offsets 
Holes in those hats they wear askew... 
Cat-whiskered, eyed like falconets, 

They drive the snarling mob, and hew! 


The mildest of their sobriquets 

Are Crack-my-Crown and Run-me-through, 
Mad drunk on glory Gascon gets ! 

These boasters of soft sobriquets 
Wherever rapier rapier whets 

Are met in punctual rendezvous. . . 

The mildest of their sobriquets 

Are Crack-my-crown and Run-me-through! 


89 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


They are the Gascony Cadets 

That give the jealous spouse his due! 
Lean forth, adorable coquettes, 

They are the Gascony Cadets, 

With plumes and scarfs and aigulets! 

The husband gray may well look blue. . , 
They are the Gascony Cadets 

That give the jealous spouse his due! 


DE GUICHE (nonchalantly seated in an 
armchair which RAGUENEAU has hurriedly 
brought for him). A gentleman provides 
himself to-day, by way of luxury, with a 
poet. May I look upon you as mine? 

CyRANno. No, your lordship, as nobody’s. 

Dr GuicHE. My uncle Richelieu yester- 
day found your spontaneity diverting. I 
shall be pleased to be of use to you with 
him. 

LE Bret (dazzled). Great God! 

Dr GuicHE. I cannot think I am wrong » 
in supposing that you have rhymed a 
tragedy? 

LE BRET (whispering to CyRANO). My 
boy, your Agrippina will be played! 

DE GuicHE. Takeittohim.... 

Cyrano (tempted and pleased), 
Really ... 

DE GuicHE. He has taste in such 


go 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


matters. He willno more than, here and 
there, alter a word, recast a passage... . 

Cyrano (whose face has instantly dark- 
ened). Not to be considered, monsieur ! 
My blood runs cold at the thought of a 
single comma added or suppressed. 

DE GUICHE. On the other hand, my dear 
sir, when a verse finds favor with him, he 
pays for it handsomely. 

Cyrano. He scarcely can pay me as I 
pay myself, when I have achieved a verse 
to my liking, by singing it over to myself! 

DE GUICHE. You are proud. 

Cyrano. You have observed it ? 

ONE OF THE CADETS (coming in with a 
number of disreputable, draggled tattered 
hats threaded on his sword). Look, 
Cyrano! at the remarkable feathered game 
we secured this morning near the Porte de 
Nesle! The hats of the fugitives! 

CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX.  Spolie 
opime ! 

ALL (laughing). Ha! Ha! Ha!... 

Cuiay. The one who planned that mili- 
tary action, my word! must be proud of 
it to-day! 

BRISSAILLE. Is it known who did it ? 

Dre GuicHE. I!— (The laughter stops 
short). They had instructions to chastise 


gI 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


—a matter one does not attend to in 
person,—a drunken  scribbler. (Con- 
strained silence.) 

THE CADET (under breath, to CYRANO, in- 
dicating the hats). What can we do with 
them? They are oily. ... Make them 
into a hotch pot ? 

CyRANO (taking the sword with the hats, 
and bowing, as he shakes them off at Dr 
GuicHr’s feet). Monsieur, if you should 
care to return them to your friends?... 

DE GUICHE (rises, and in a curt tone). 
My chair and bearers, at once. (To 
Cyrano, violently.) As for you, sir . 

A Voice (in the street, shouting). The 
chairmen of Monseigneur the Comte de 
Guiche! 

DE GuICHE (who has recovered control 
over himself, with a smile). Have you 
read Don Quixote ? 

Cyrano. Ihave. And at the name of 
that divine madman, I uncover... 

Dr GuicHE. My advice to you is to 
ponder‘). 

A CHAIRMAN (appearing at the back). 
The chair is at the door ! 

Dr Guicur. The chapter of the wind 
mills. 

Cyrano (bowing). Chapter thirteen. 


g2 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


DE GuIcHE. For when a man attacks 
them, it often happens... . 

Cyrano. I have attacked, am I to in- 
fer, a thing that veers with every wind? 

DE GuicHEe. That one of their far-reach: 
ing canvas arms pitches him down into 
the mud! 

Cyrano. Or up among the stars! 

(Haxit DE GUICHE. He is seen getting 
into his chair. The gentlemen withdraw 
whispering. LE BRET goes tothe door with 
them. The crowd leaves. The CADETS re- 
main seated at the right and left at tables 
where food and drink is brought to them). 

CYRANO (bowing with a derisive air to 
those who leave without daring to take leave 
of him). Gentlemen... gentlemen... 
gentlemen... . 

LE BRET (coming forward, greatly dis- 
tressed, lifting his hands to Heaven). Oh, 


in what a pretty pair of shoes... . 
Cyrano. Oh, you! ... I expect you 
to grumble ! 


LE Bret. But yourself, you will agree 
with me that invariably to cut the throat 
of opportunity becomes an exaggera: 
05): a 

Cyrano. Yes. Iagree. I do exagger. 
ate. 


93 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Le Bret (triumphant). You see, you 
admit it!... 

Cyrano. But for the sake of principle, 
and of example, as well, I think it a good 
thing to exaggerate asI do! 

Le Bret. Could you but leave apart, 
once ina while, your mousquetaire of a 
soul, fortune, undoubtedly, fame... . 

Cyrano. And what shoulda man do? 
Seek-some grandee,-take him for patron, 
and like the obscure creeper clasping a 
tree-trunk, and licking the bark of that 
which props it up, attain to height by craft 
instead of strength? No, I thank you. 
Dedicate, as they all do, poems to finan- 
ciers? Wear motley in the humble hope 
of seeing the lips of a minister distend for 
once in a smile not ominous of ill? No, If 
thank you. Eat every day a toad? Be 
threadbare at the belly with groveling ? 
Have his skin dirty soonest at the knees $ 
Practice feats of dorsal elasticity ? No, I 
thank you. With one hand stroke the 
goat while with the other he waters the 
cabbage ? Make gifts of senna that counter- 
gifts of rhubarb may accrue, and indefa- 
tigably swing his censer in some beard 4 
Wo, Ithank you. Push himself from lap to 
hp, bacome alittle great man in a great little 


94 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


vircle, propel his ship with madrigals for 
vars and in his sails the sighs of the elderly 
ladies? No, I thank you. Get the good 
editor Sercy to print his verses at proper 
expense? No, I thank you. Contrive to 
be nominated Pope in conclaves held by 
imbeciles in wineshops ? No, I thank you. 
Work to construct a name upon the basis 
of a sonnet, instead of constructing other 
sonnets? No, I thank you. Discover 
talent in tyros,and inthemalone? Stand 
in terror of what gazettes may please to 
say, and say to himself ‘‘ At whatever 
cost, may I figure in the Paris Mercury !” 
No, Ithank you. Calculate, cringe, peak, 
prefer making a call to a poem,—petition, 
solicit, apply ? No, I thank you! No, I 
thankyou! No,Ithankyou! But.... 
sing, dream, laugh, loaf, be single, be free, 
have eyes that look squarely, a voice with 
a ring; wear, if he chooses, his hat hindside 
afore; fora yes, for ano, fight a duel or turn 
aditty!... Work, without concern of for- 
tune or of glory, to accomplish the heart’s- 
desired journey to the moon! Put forth 
nothing that bas not its spring in the very 
heart, yet, modest, say to himself, ‘‘ Old 
man, be satisfied with blossoms, fruits, yea, 
leaves alone, so they be gathered in your 


95 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


garden and not another man’s!” Then, it 
it happen that to some small extent he 
triumph, be obliged to render of the glory, 
to Ceesar, not one jot, but honestly appro- 
priate it all. In short, scorning to be the 
parasite, the creeper, if even failing to be 
the oak, rise, not perchance to a great 
height, . . . but rise alone! 

Le Bret. Alone? Good! but not one 
against all! How the devil did you cone 
tract the mania that possesses you for 
making enemies, always, everywhere ° 

CyrRANo. By seeing you make friends, 
and smile to those same flocks of friends 
with a mouth that takes for model an old 
purse! I wish not to be troubled to return 
bows in the street, and I exclaim with 
glee ‘‘An enemy the more!” 

LE Bret. This is mental aberration! 

Cyrano. I donot dispute it. I am so 
framed. To displease is my pleasure. I 
love that one should hateme. Dear friend, 
if you but knew how much better a man 
walks under the exciting fire of hostile 
eyes, and how amused he may become 
over the spots on his doublet, spattered by 
Envy and Cowardice! . . . You, the facile 
friendship wherewith you surround your- 
self, resembles those wide Italian collars, 

96 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


loose and easy, with a perforated pattern, 
in which the neck looks like a woman’s, 
They are more comfortable, but of less 
high effect; for the brow not held in proud 
position by any constraint from them, falls 
to nodding this way and that... . But 
for me every day Hatred starches and flutes 
the ruff whose stiffness holds the head well 
in place. Every new enemy is another 
plait in it, adding compulsion, but adding, 
as well, aray: for, similar in every point 
to the Spanish ruff, Hatred is a bondage, 
.. . butisa halo, too! 

LE Bret (after a pause, slipping his arm 
through CyraAno’s). To the hearing of all 


be proud and bitter, . . . but to me, below 
breath, say simply that she does not love 
you! 


CYRANO (sharply). Nota word! 

(CHRISTIAN has come in and mingled with 
the cadets; they ignore him; he has finally 
gone to a little table by himself, where Lisk 
waits on him.) 

ONE OF THE CADETS (seated at a table at 
the back, glass in hand). Hey, Cyrano! 
(CYRANO turns toward him). Your story! 

Cyrano. Presently! (He goes toward 
the back on LE BreEt’s arm. They talk 
low.) 


7 97 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


THE CADET (rising and coming toward 
the front). The account of your fight! It 
will be the best lesson (stopping in front of 
the table at which CHRISTIAN is sitting) for 
this timorous novice! 

CHRISTIAN (looking up). .. . Novice? 

OTHER CADET. Yes, sickly product of 
the North! 

CHRISTIAN. Sickly ? 

First CADET (¢mpressively). Monsieur da 
Neuvillette, it is a good deed to warn you 
that there is a thing no more to be men- 
tioned in our company than rope in the 
house of the hanged! 

CHRISTIAN. And what is it ? 

OTHER CADET (in a terrifying voice). 
Look at me! (Three times, darkly, he 
places his finger upon his nose.) You have 
understood ? 

CHRISTIAN. Ah, itisthe... 

OTHER CADET. Silence! . . . Nevermust 
you so much as breathe that word, or... 
(He points toward Cyrano at the back talk: 
ing with LE Bret.) You will have him, 
over there, to deal with! 

OTHER CADET (who while CHRISTIAN waa 
turned toward the first, has novselessly 
seated himself on the table behind him). 
Two persons were lately cut off in theit 

98 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


pride by him for talking through their 
noses. He thought it personal. 

OTHER CADET (in @ cavernous voice, as 
he rises from under the table where he had 
slipped on all fours). Not the remotest 
allusion, ever, to the fatal cartilage, ... 
unless you fancy an early grave! 

OTHER CADET. A word will do the busi- 
ness! WhatdidIsay?...Aword?... 
A simple gesture! Make use of your 
pocket-handkerchief, you will shortly have 
use for your shroud! 

(Silence. All around CHRISTIAN watch 
him, with folded arms. He rises and goes 
to CARBON DE CASTEL-J ALOUX, who, in con- 
versation with an officer, affects to notice 
nothing). 

CHRISTIAN. Captain! 

CARBON (turning and looking him rather 
contemptuously up anddown). Monsieur? 

CHRISTIAN. What is the proper course 
for a man when he finds gentlemen of the 
South too boastful ? 

CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX. He must 
prove to them that one can be of the North, 
yet brave. (He turns his back upon him.) 

CHRISTIAN. I am much obliged. 

First CADET (fo CyRANO). And now, the 
tale of your adventure ! 


99 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


AtL. Yes, yes, now let us hear! 

CyrANO (coming forward among them). 
My adventure? (All draw their stools 
nearer, and sit around him, with craned 
necks. CHRISTIAN sits astride a chair.) 
Well, then, I was marching to meet them. 
The moon up in the skies was shining 
like a silver watch, when suddenly I know 
net what careful watch-maker having 
wrapped it in a cottony cloud, there oc- 
curred the blackest imaginable night ; 
and, the streets being nowise lighted,— 
mordious !—you could see no further 
than’. .* 

CHRISTIAN. Your nose. 

(Silence. Everyone slowly gets up; all 
look with terror at Cyrano. He has 
stopped short, amazed. Pause.) 

Cyrano. Who is that man ? 

ONE OF THE CapDETs (low). He joined 
this morning. 

Cyrano (taking a step toward CHRISTIAN). 
This morning ? 

CARBON DE CasTEL JALOUX (low). His 
name is Baron de Neuvill.... 

Cyrano (stopping short). Ah, very 
well... . (He turns pale, then red, gives 
evidence of another impulse to throw him- 
self upon CHRISTIAN.) I... . (He com 

100 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


quersit, and says ina stifled voice.) Very 
well. (He takes up his tale.) As I was 
saying. . . (with a burst of rage.) Mor- 
dious! ... (He continues in a natural 
tone) one could not see in the very least. 
(Consternation. All resume their seats, 
staring at one another.) And I was walk- 
ing along, reflecting that for a very in- 
significant rogue I was probably about to 
offend some great prince who would bear 
me a lasting grudge, that, in brief, I was 
about to thrustmy ... 

CHRISTIAN. Nose... 

(All get wp. CHRISTIAN has tilted his 
thair and is rocking on the hind legs.) 

CYRANO (choking). Finger .. . between 
the tree and the bark; for the aforesaid 
prince might be of sufficient power to trip 
me and throw me .. 

CHRISTIAN. On my nose... 

CyRANO (wipes the sweat from his brow.) 
But, said I, ‘‘Gascony forward! Never 
falter when duty prompts! Forward, 
Cyrano!” and, saying this, I advance— 
when suddenly, in the darkness, I barely 
avoidablow... 

CHRISTIAN. Uponthe nose... 

Cyrano. Iwardit. ... and thereupon 
find myself... 

1Ql 


_:Cyrano -de Bergerac. 


CHRISTIAN. Nose tonose... 

CYRANO (springing toward him). Ven 
tre-Saint-Gris! .. . (All the GAScoNS 
rush forward, to see; CYRANO, on reaching 
CHRISTIAN, controls himself and proceeds) 

. with a hundred drunken brawlers, 
smelling... 

CHRISTIAN. To the nose’s limit... 

CyRANo (deathly pale, and smiling) ... 
of garlic and of grease. I leap forward, 
head lowered ... 

CHRISTIAN. Nose tothe wind!... 

Cyrano. And I charge them. I knock 
two breathless and run a third through the 
body. One lets off at me: Paf! and I re- 
6 

CHRISTIAN. Pif! 

CrYANO (exploding). Death and damna- 
tion! Go,—all of you! 

(All the CaDETs make for the door.) 

First CADET. The tiger is roused at 
last! 

Cyrano. All! and leave me with this 
man. 

SECOND CADET. Bigre! When we see 
him again, it will be in the shape of mince: 
meat! 

RAGUENEAU. Mince-meat?... 

OTHER CADET. In one of your pies, 

t02 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


RAGUENEAU. I feel myself grow white 
and flabby as a table-napkin ! 

CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX. Let us 
go! 

OTHER CADET. Not a smudge of him 
will be left! 

OTHER CADET. What these walls are 
about to behold gives me gooseflesh to 
think upon! 

OTHER CADET (closing the door at the 
right). Ghastly! ... Ghastly! 

(All have left, by the back or the sides, a 
few up the stairway. CyRANO and CHRIS- 
TIAN remain face to face, and look at each 
other a moment.) 

Cyrano. Embrace me! 

CHRISTIAN. Monsieur... 

Cyrano. Brave fellow. 

CHRISTIAN. But what does this... 

Cyrano. Very brave fellow. I wish 
you to. 

CHRISTIAN. Will youtellme?... 

Cyrano. Embrace me, Iam her brother. 

CHRISTIAN. Whose ? 

Cyrano. Hers! 

CHRISTIAN. What do you mean ? 

CyRANO. Roxane’s! 

CHRISTIAN (running to him). Heavens! 
You, her brother ? 

103, 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Cyrano. Or the same thing: her first 
cousin. 

CurIsTIAN. And she has... 

Cyrano. Told me everything! 

CHRISTIAN. Does she love me ? 

Cyrano. Perhaps! 

CHRISTIAN (seizing his hands). How 
happy I am, monsieur, to make your ac- 
quaintance!... 

Cyrano. That is whatI calla sudden 
sentiment! 

CHRISTIAN. Forgiveme!... 

Cyrano (looking at him, laying his hand 
upon his shoulder). It is true that he is 
handsome, the rascal! 

CuRISTIAN. If you but knew, Monsieur, 


how greatly I admire you! ... 
CYRANO. But all those noses which 
you . 


CHRISTIAN. I take them back! 

CYRANO. Roxane expects a letter to: 
night... 

CHRISTIAN. Alas! 

CyRANO. What is the matter ? 

CHRISTIAN. I am lost if I cease to be 
dumb! 

CYyRANO. How is that ? 

CHRISTIAN. Alas! I am such a dunce¢ 
that I could kill myself for shame! 

104 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Cyrano. But,no...no.... Youare 
surely not a dunce, if you believe you are! 
Besides, you scarcely attacked me like a 
dunce. 

CHRISTIAN. Oh, it is easy to find words 
in mounting to the assault! Indeed, I own 
fo a certain cheap military readiness, but 
when I am before women, I have not a 
word tosay. ... Yet their eyes, when ] 
pass by, expressa kindness towardme. . 

Cyrano. And do their hearts not ex- 
press the same when you stop beside them? 

CHRISTIAN. No! ... for Iam of those 
—I recognize it, and am dismayed !—who 
do not know how to talk of love. 

CYyRANO. Tiens!...It seems to me 
that if Nature had taken more pains with 
my shape, Ishould have been of those who 
do know how to talk of it. 

CHRISTIAN. Oh, to be able to express 
things gracefully! 

Cyrano. Oh, to be a graceful little 
figure of a passing mousquetaire! 

CHRISTIAN. Roxane is a précieuse, ... 
there is no chance but that I shall be a 
lisillusion to Roxane! 

CyRANO (looking at CHRISTIAN). IfIhad, 
to express my soul, such an interpre 
ter! ... 

10S 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


CHRISTIAN (desperately). Tought to have 
eloquence! ... 

Cyrano (abruptly). Eloquence I will 
lend you! . . . And you, to me, shall lend 
all-conquering physical charm... and 
between us we will compose a hero of 
romance! 

CHRISTIAN. What ? 

Cyrano. Should you be able to say. 
as your own, things which I day by day 
would teach you ? 

CHRISTIAN. You are suggesting? ... 

Cyrano. Roxane shall not have disil- 
fusions! Tell me, shall we win her heart, 
we two as one? will you submit to feel, 
transmitted from my leather doublet inte 
your doublet stitched with silk, the soul I 
wish to share ? 

CHRISTIAN. But Cyrano!... 

Cyrano. Christian, will you ? 

CHRISTIAN. You frighten me! 

Cyrano. Since you fear, left to yourself, 
to chill her heart, will you consent,—and 
soon it will take fire, I vouch for it!— 
to contribute your lips to my phrases ? 

CHRISTIAN. Your eyes shine! ... 

CYRANO. Will you? 

CHRISTIAN. What, would it please you 
so much ? 

106 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Cyrano (with rapture). It would... 
(Remembering, and confining himself to ea- 
pressing an artistic pleasure) . . . amuse 
me! Itisanexperiment fit surely to tempt 
a poet. Will youcomplete me, and let me 
in exchange complete you? Wewill walk 
side by side: you in full light, I in your 
shadow. ...I1 will be wit to you... 
you, tome, shall be good looks! 

CHRISTIAN. But the letter, which should 
be sent to her without delay? ... Never 
snallI beable... 

Cyrano (taking from his doublet the 
letter written in the first part of the act). 
The letter? Here it is! 

CHRISTIAN. How?... 

Cyrano. It only wants the address. 

Curistian.’ I... 

CyRANO. You can send it without un. 
easiness. It is a good letter. 

CHRISTIAN. Youhad?.. 

CyRANO. You shall never find us— 
poets !—without epistles in our pockets to 
tne Chlorises . . . of our imagining! For 
we are those same that have for mistress 
a dream blown into the bubble of aname! 
Taxke,-—you shall convert this feigning inte 
earnest ; I was sending forth at ran: 
dom these confessions and laments: you 


107 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


shall make the wandering birds ta 
settle... Takeit! Youshallsee...I 
was as eloquent as if I had been sincere ! 
Take, and have done! 

CHRISTIAN. But will it not need to be 
altered in any part? .. . Written with- 
out object, will it fit Roxane ? 

Cyrano. Like a glove! 

CHRISTIAN. But... 

Cyrano. Trust to the blindness of love 
... and vanity! Roxane will never 

question that it was written for her. 

- Curistian. Ah, my friend ! (He throws 
himself into CyRANO’s arms. They stand 
embraced.) 

ONE OF THE CADETS (opening the door a 
very little). Nothing more. . . . Thestill- 
ness of death. .. . I dare not look... 
(He thrusts in his head.) What is this ? 

ALL THE CADETS (entering and seeing 
Cyrano and CuristiAn locked in each 


othersarms). Ah!... Ohl... 
ONE OF THE CADETS. This passes bounds! 
(Consternation). 


THE MOUSQUETAIRE (impudent). Ouais? 
CARBON DE CASTEL-JALOUX. Our demon 
is waxen mild as an apostle; smitten upon 
one nostril, he turns the other also ! 
THE MovusQuETarire. It is in order now 
108 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


¢o speak of his nose, is it? (Calling Lisk, 
with a swaggering air). Hey, Lise! now 
listen and look. (Pointedly sniffing the 
air.) Oh,... oh, ... itissurprising! ... 
what an odor! (Going to CyRANo.) But 
monsieur must have smelled it, too? Can 
you tell me what it is, so plain in the air ? 

Cyrano (beating him). Why, sundry 
blows ! 

(Joyful antics of the CapEts in beholding 
Cyrano himself again. Curtain 


109 


ACT THIRD. 
ROXANE’S KISS. 


A small squarein the old Marais. Oita: 
fashioned houses. Narrow streets seen in 
perspective. At the right, ROXANE’S house 
and the wall of her garden, above which 
spreading tree-tops. Over the house-door, 
a balcony and window. A bench beside 
the doorstep. 

The wall is overclambered by ivy, the 
balcony wreathed with jasmine. 

By means of the bench and projecting 
stones in the wall, the balcony can easily 
be scaled. 

On the opposite side, old house in the 
same style of architecture, brick and stone, 
with entrance-door. The door-knocker is 
swaddled in linen. 

At the rise of the curtain, the DUENNA ts 
seated on the bench. The window on 
Roxane’s balcony is wide open. 

RAGUENEAU, in a sort of livery, stands 
near the DUENNA ; he is finishing the tale of 
his misfortunes, drying his eyes. 

110 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


RaGuENEAU. And then, she eloped with 
& mousquetaire ! Ruined, forsaken, I was 
hanging myself. I had already taken leave 
of earth, when Monsieur de Bergerac 
happening along, unhanged me, and pro- 
posed me to his cousin as her steward. . . 

THE DUENNA. But how did you fall into 
such disaster ? 

RAGUENEAU. Lise was fond of soldiers, 
I, of poets! Mars ate up all left over by 
Apollo. Under those circumstances, you 
conceive, the pantry soon was bare. 

THE DUENNA (rising and calling toward 
the open window). Roxane, are you 
ready ?... They are waiting forus!... 

ROXANE’S VOICE (through the window). 
Tam putting on my mantle ! 

THE DUENNA (to RAGUENEAU, pointing at 
the door opposite). It is over there, op- 
posite, we are expected. At Clomire’s. 
She holds a meeting in her little place. A 
disquisition upon the Softer Sentiments is 
to be read. 

RAGUENEAU. Upon the Softer Senti- 
ments ? 

THE DUENNA (coyly). Yes! .. . (Call: 
ing toward the window.) Roxane, you 
must make haste, or we shall miss the dis: 
quisition upon the Softer Sentiments ! 

III 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


RoxANeE’s Voice. I am coming ! 

(A sound of string-instruments is heard, 
drawing nearer.) 

CYRANO’sS VOICE (singing in the wings). 
La! la! Ja! la! la!.... 

THE DUENNA (surprised). We are ta 
have music ? 

Cyrano (enters followed by two PaGEs 
with theorbos). I tell you it is a demi-semi- 
quaver! ... you demi-semi-noddle ! 

First PaGE (ironically). Monsieur know’ 
then about quavers, semi and demi ? 

Cyrano. I know music, as do all Gas: 
gendi’s disciples ! 

THE PaGE (playing and singing). Lat 
la ! 

Cyrano (snatching the theorbo from him 
and continuing the musical phrase). Ican 


carry on the melody. .. . La, la, la, la,... 
ROXANE (appearing on the balcony). Wf 
is you ? 


CYRANO (singing upon the tune heis con- 
tinuing). I, sndeed, who salute your 
lilies and present my respects to your 
ro-0-oses ! . 

Roxane. I am coming down! (She 
leaves the balcony.) 

THE DuENNA (pointing at the PAGEs). 
What is the meaning of these two virtuosi 4 

412 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Cyrano. A wager I won, from D’As: 
soucy. We were disputing upon a question 
of grammar. Yes! No! Yes! No! Sud- 
denly pointing at these two tall knaves, 
expert at clawing strings, by whom he 
eonstantly goes attended, he said, ‘‘I 
wager a day long of music!” He lost. 
Until therefore the next rise of the sun, 
J shall have dangling after me these arch- 
Jute players, harmonious witnesses of all 


Ido! ... At first Iliked it very well, 
but now it palls a little. (To the musi- 
cians). Hey! .. . Go, from me, to Mont- 


fleury, and play him apavane!... The 
Paass go toward the back. To the DUENNA.! 
I have come to inquire of Roxane, as lf 
doevery evening. . . . (To the PaGEs who 
are leaving.) Play a long time . . . and out 
of tune! (To the DUENNA). . . whether in 
the friend of her soul she can still detect no 
fault ? 

ROXANE (coming out of the house). Ah, 
how beautiful he is, what wit he has, how 
deeply I love him! 

CyRANno (smiling). Christian has so 
much wit?... 

Roxane. Cousin, more than yourself! 

Cyrano. I grant you. 

Roxane. There is not one alive, I truly 

8 113, 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


believe, more apt at turning those pretty 
nothings which yet are everything. ... 
Sometimes he is of an absent mood, hig 
muse is wool-gathering, then, suddenly, he 
will say the most enchanting things! 

CYRANO (incredulous). Come! ... 

Roxane. Oh, itis toobad! Menareall 
alike, narrow, narrow: because he is hand- 
some, he cannot possibly be witty! 

CyRANo. So he talks of the heart in ac- 
ceptable fashion ? 

Roxane. Talks, cousin, is feeble. .. , 
He dissertates! 

Cyrano. And writes? ... 

Roxane. Still better! Listen now te 
this ... (Declaiming.) ‘‘ Themore of my 
heart you steal from me, the more heart 
I have!” (Triumphantly to Cyrano), 
Vee sh 

Cyrano. Pooh! 

Roxane. And to this: ‘‘ Since you have 
stolen my heart, and since I must suffer, 
to suffer with send me your own!” 

CyRANO. Now he has too much heart, 
now he has not enough, . . . just what 
does he want, in the matter of quantity ? 

RoxaNE. You vex me! You are eatey 
up with jealousy. ... 

OYRANO (starting). Heir ? 


114 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


RoxaNE. Author’s jealousy! And this, 
could anything be more exquisitely tender ? 
‘“ Unanimously, believe it, my heart cries 
out to you, and if kisses could be sent in 
writing, Love, you should read my letter 
with your lips. . . . 

Cyrano (in spite of himself smiling with 
satisfaction). Ha! Ha! Those particular 
les seemmtome . .. hols... hol. s . 
(Remembering himself, disdainfully) . 
puny, pretty ... 

Roxane. This, then :..°. 

Cyrano (delighted). You know his 
letters by heart ? 


Roxane. All! 
Cyrano. It is flattering, one cannot 
deny. 


RoxaNeE. In this art of expressing love 
he is a master ! 


CyYyRANO (modest). Oh, .. . a master! 

ROXANE (peremptory). A master! 

Cyrano. As you please, then ...a 
master ! 


THE DuENNA (who had gone toward the 
back, coming quickly forward). Monsieur 
de Guiche! (Zo CyRANo, pushing him to- 
ward the house). Go in! It is perhaps 
better that he should not see you here! it 
might put him on the scent . . . 


115 


Cyrano de Befgerac, 


ROXANE (fo CYRANO). Yes, of my deat 
secret! He loves me, he ispowerful,... 
he must not find out! He might cut in 
sunder our loves . . . with an axe! 

CyRANO (going into the house). Very 
well, very well. 

(DE GUICHE appears.) 

RoxANE (to DE GUICHE, with a curtsey). 
I was leaving the house. 

DE GuicHE. I have come to bid you 
farewell. 

RoxANE. You are going away ? 

Dr GuUICHE. To war. 

Roxane. Ah! 

DE GuicHE. J have my orders. Arraa 
is besieged. 

Roxane. Ah! .. . it is besieged ? 

Dr GuIcHE. Yes....I see that my 
departure does not greatly affect you. 

ROxAne. “OR] oe. 

De Guicue. As for me, I own it wrings 
my heart. Shall I see you again?... 
When?... You know that Iam made 
commander-in-general ? 

Roxank (uninterested). I congratulate 
you. 

DE GurcHE. Of the Guards. 

Roxane (starting). Ah, .. . Of the 
Guards ? 

116 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


De GuicHE. Among whom your cousin 
Berves, ... the man of the boasts and 
tirades. I shall have opportunity in 
plenty to retaliate upon him down there. 

ROXANE (suffocating). What? The 
Guards are going down there ? 

DEGUICHE. Surely. Itismy regiment. 

Roxane (falls sitting upon the bench; 
aside). Christian ! 

DE GUICHE. What is it troubles you ? 

ROXANE (greatly moved). This departr 
ure ... grieves me mortally. When one 
cares for a person .. . to know himaway 
at the war ! 

DE GUICHE (surprised and charmed). 
For the first time you utter a kindand feel 
ing word, when I am leaving ! 

ROXANE (in a different tone, fanning her- 
self). So... you are thinking of re 
‘venge upon my cousin ? 

DE GUICHE (smiling). You side with 
him ? 

Roxane. No.. . against him. 

DE GUICHE. Do you see much of him { 

ROXANE. Very little. 

DE GuICcHE. He is everywhere to be 
met with one of the cadets ... (frying ta 
remember) that Neu... villen... vil 
ler... 

r17 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Roxane. A tall man? 

De GuicHE. Light haired. 

Roxane. Red haired. 

DE GuicHE. Good looking. 

Roxane. Pooh! 

DE GuIcHE. Buta fool! 

Roxane. He looks like one. (Ina dif 
ferent tone.) Your vengeance upon Cyran¢ 
is then to place him within reach of shot, 
which is the thing of all he loves! ... A 
miserable vengeance! ... I know, I do, 
what would more seriously concern him ! 

De GuicHE. And that is? 

Roxane. Why... that the regiment 
should march, and leave him behind, with 
his beloved cadets, arms folded, the whole 
war through, in Paris! That is the only 
way to cast down a man like him. You 
wish to punish him? Deprive him of 
danger. 

Dr GuicHE. A woman! A woman! 
None but a woman could devise a ven- 
geance of the sort ! 

Roxane. His friends will gnaw their 
fists, and he his very soul, with chagrin 
at not being under fire ; and you will be 
abundantly avenged ! 

DE GUICHE (coming nearer). Then you da 
love mealittle?, (RoxanEsmiles.) I wish 

ex8 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


to see in this fact of your espousing my 
grudge a proof of affection, Roxane... 

ROXANE. ... You may! 

DE GUICHE (showing several folded 
papers). I have here upon me the orders 
to be transmitted at once to each of the 
companies ... except... (he takes one 
from among the others.) Thisone!... 
the company of the cadets . . . (He putsit 
in his pocket.) This,Iwillkeep. (Laugh- 
ing). Ah, ah, ah! Cyrano! his belligerent 
humor! . . . Soyou sometimes play tricks 
upon people, you?... 

Roxane. Sometimes. 

DE GUICHE (very near her). I love you 
to distraction! This evening .. . listen, 

. itis true that I must be gone. But 
to g> when I feel that it isa matter for 
your caring! Listen! ... There is, not 
far from here, in Rue Orléans, a convent 
founded by the Capuchins. Father Atha. 
nasius. A layman may not enter. But the 
good fathers . . . I fear no difficulty with 
them! They will hide me un their sleeve 

. their sleeve is wide. They are the 
Capuchins that serve Richelieu at home. 
Fearing the uncle, they proportionately 
fear the nephew. I shall be thought te 
have left. I will come to you masked. 


119 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Let me delay by a single day, wayward 
enchantress ! 

Roxane. But ifitshould transpire .. . 
your fame... 

DE GUICHE. Bah! 


Roxane. But... the siege ... Ar: 
Tees. is 

Dr GuIcHE. Must wait! Allow me, I 
bes. x 


Roxane. No! 

DE GUIOHE. I beseech ! 

ROXANE (tenderly). No! Love _ itself 
bids me forbid you ! 

DE GuUICHE. Ah! 

ROXANE. Youmust go! (Aside.) Chris 
tian willstay! (Aloud.) For my sake, be 
heroic . . . Antony! 

DE GuicHE. Ah, heavenly word upon 
your lips! ... Then you love the one 
WhO) 4)... 

Roxane. Who shall have made me 
tremble for his sake... 

DE GUICHE (in a transport of joy). Ah, 
[will go! (He kisses her hand.) Are you 
satisfied with me ? 

Roxane. My friend, I am. 

(Exit DE GUICHE). 

THE DUENNA (dropping a mocking curtesg 
toward his back). My friend, we are! 

120 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


RoxanE (to the DuENNA). Nota word of 
what I have done: Cyrano would never 
forgive me for defrauding him of his war! 
(She calls toward the house.) Cousin! 
(CYRANO comes out.) We are going to 
Clomire’s. (She indicates the house op 
posite.) Alcandre has engaged to speak, 
and so has Lysimon. 

THE DUENNA (putting her little finger ta 
her ear). Yes, but my little finger tells me 
that we shall be too late to hear them ! 

Cyrano (to Roxane). Of all things do 
not miss the trained monkeys! 

(They have reached Clomire’s door). 

THE DUENNA. See! ... See! they have 
muffled the doorknocker! (Yo the door- 
knocker.) You have been gagged, that 
your voice should not disturb the beau- 
tiful lecture, . . . little brutal disturber! 
(She lifts it with infinite care and knocks 
softly). 

ROXANE (seeing the door open). Come! 
(From the threshold to Cyrano.) If Chris: 
tian should come, as probably he will, say he 
must wait! 

Cyrano (hurriedly, as she ts about to 
disappear). Ah! (Sheturns.) Upon what 
shall you, according to your custom, ques« 
tion him to-day ? 

I2t 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Roxane. Upon... 

CYRANO (eagerly). Upon?... 

Roxane. But you will be silent... 

Cyrano. As that wall! 

RoxaNE. Upon nothing! I will say. 
Forward! Freerein! No curb! Improvise! 
Talk of love! Be magnificent! 

CyRANO (smiling). Good. 

Roxane. Hush! 

Cyrano. Hush! 

Roxane. Notaword! (Shegoesin and 
closes the door.) 

Cyrano (bowing, when the door is closed). 
A thousand thanks! 

(The door opens again and ROXANE looke 
out). 

Roxane. He might prepare his 
Speeches... 

Cyrano. Ah, no!... the devil, no! 

BotH (together). Hush!... 

(The door closes). 

Cyrano (calling). Christian! (Hntes 
CHRISTIAN.) I know all that we need to, 
Now make ready your memory. This it 
your chance to cover yourself with glory. 
Let us lose no time. Do not look sullen, 
like that. Quick! Letusgo to your lodg 
ings and I will rehearse you... 

CHRISTIAN. No! 

122 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Cyrano. What? 

CurisTIAN. No, I will await Roxane 
here. 

CyrRANO. Whatinsanity possesses you ? 
Come quickly and learn... 

CHRISTIAN. No, Itellyou! I am weary 
of borrowing my letters, my words... 
of playing a part, and living in constant 
fear. .. . It was very well at first, but 
now I feel thatsheloves me. I thank you 
heartily. I am no longer afraid. I will 
speak for myself... 

CyRANo. Ouais?... 

CHRISTIAN. And what tells you that I 
shall not know how? I am not such an 
utter blockhead, after all! You shall see! 
Your lessons have not been altogether 
wasted. I can shift to speak without your 
aid! And, that failing, by Heaven! I 
shall still know enough to take her in 
my arms! (Catching sight of Roxane who 
is coming out from Clomire’s.) Sheis com: 
ing! Cyrano, no, do not leaveme!... 

Cyrano (bowing to him). I will not 
meddle, Monsieur. 

(He disappears behind the garden wall). 

ROXANE (coming from CLOMIRE’S house 
with a number of people from whom she i4 
taking leave. Curtseys and farewells.) 

123 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Barthénoide!... Alcandre!... Gré 
mione!... 

THE DuENNA (comically desperate). We 
missed the disquisition upon the Softer 
Sentiments! (She goes into ROXANE’S 
house.) 

RoxANnk (still taking leave of this one and 
that). Urimeédonte! ... Good-bye! 

(All bow to Roxane, to one another, 
separate and go off by the various streets, 
ROXANE sees CHRISTIAN.) 

Roxane. You are here! (She goes te 
him.) Evening is closing round. ... Wait! 
. « - They have all gone. ... The airissoe 
mild.... Nota passerinsight. ... Let 
ussithere....Talk!... I will listen. 

CHTISTIAN (sits beside her, on the bench. 
Silence.) I love you. | 

ROXANE (closing her eyes). Yes. Talk 
to me of love. 

CHRISTIAN. I love you. 

Roxane. Yes. That is the theme. 
Play variations upon it. 

CHRISTIAN. Ilove... 

ROXANE. Variations ! 

CHRISTIAN. J love yousomuch... 

Roxane. I do not doubt it. What 
further?... 

CurisTian. And further.. Ishould 

124 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


be so happy if you loved me! Tell me, 
Roxane, that you love me. . 

ROXANE (pouting). You proffer cider to 
me when I was hoping for champagne ! 
. . - Now tell me alittle how you love me? 

CHRISTIAN. Why ... very, very much, 

Roxane. Oh!... unravel, disentangle 
your sentiments ! 

CHRISTIAN. Your throat! ...I want 
POISE Eb ess. 

Roxane. Christian ! 

CHRISTIAN. Iloveyou!... 

ROXANE (attempting to rise). Again!... 

CHRISTIAN (hastily, holding her back). 
No, Ido not love you! ... 

RoOxANnE (sitting down again). That is 
fortunate ! 

CHRISTIAN. I adore you! 

ROXANE (rising and moving away). 
0) See 

CHRISTIAN. Yes, ... love makes me 
into a fool ! 

Roxane (drily). And I am displeased 
at it ! as I should be displeased at your no 
longer being handsome. 

CHRISTIAN. But... 

Roxane. Go, and rally your routed 
#loquence ! 

CurisTIan. I... 

125 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Roxane. You love me. I have heard 
it. Good-evening. (She goes toward thé 
house.) 

CurisT1an. No, no,not yet! ...I wish 
éo tell you... 

ROXANE (pushing open the door to go in). 
That you adore me. Yes, I know. No! 
NoitGo away !.... Gol... ee 

CHRISTIAN. ButI... 

(She closes the door in his face.) 

CyrANo (who has been on the scene a mo- 
ment, unnoticed). Unmistakably a success. 

CHRISTIAN. Help me! 

Cyrano. No, sir, no. 

CurisT1An. I will go kill myself if I 
am not taken back into favor at once... 
at once ! 

Cyrano. And howcanI.. . how, the 
devil ?... make you learn onthe spot... 

CHRISTIAN (seizing him by thearm). Oh, 
there! ... Look!.. .:See! 

(Light has appeared in the balcony win: 
duw.) 

CyYRANo (with emotion). Her window ? 

CHRISTIAN. Oh, I shall die! 

Cyrano. Not so loud! 

CHRISTIAN (in a whisper). I shall die! 

Cyrano. Itisadark night. ... 

CHRISTIAN. Well ? 

126 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Cyrano. All may bemended. Butyou 
do not deserve. ... There! stand there, 
miserable boy !... in front of the bal: 
cony! I will stand under it and prompt 
you. 

CHRISTIAN. But... 

Cyrano. DoasI bid you! 

THE PaGEs (reappearing at the back, to 
Cyrano). Hey! 

Cyrano. Hush! (He signs to them to 
lower their voices.) 

First PaGE (in a lower voice). Wehave 
finished serenading Montfleury! 

Cyrano (low, quickly). Go and stand 
out of sight. Oneat this street corner, the 
other at that; and if any one comes near, 
play!... 

SECOND PAGE. What sort of tune, Mon- 
sieur the Gassendist ? 

Cyrano. Merry if it be a woman, 
mournful if it bea man. (The pages dis- 
appear, one at each street corner. To 
CHRISTIAN.) Call her! 

CHRISTIAN. Roxane! 

CyRANo (picking up pebbles and throw- 
ing them at the window-pane). Wait! A 
few pebbles . 

ROXANE (opening the window). Who is 
@)lling me? 

12? 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


CHRISTIAN. ItisI... 

Roxane. Whois... I? 

CHRISTIAN. Christian! 

RoxANnE (disdainfully). Oh, you! 

CHRISTIAN. I wish to speak with you. 

Cyrano (under the balcony, to CHRIS 
TIAN). Speak low!...- 

Roxane. No, your conversation is toa 
common. You may go home! 

CHRISTIAN. Jnmercy!... 

RoxanE. No... you do not love me 
any more! 

CHRISTIAN (whom CYRANO is prompting). 
You accuse me . . . just Heaven! of lov- 
ing you no more. ... when I can love 
you no more! 

RoxANE (who was about to close her win- 
dow, stopping). Ah, thatis a little better! 

CHRISTIAN (same business). To what 
a... size has Love growninmy... 
gigh-rocked soul which the... cruel 
cherub has chosen for his cradle! 

ROXANE (stepping nearer to the edge of 
the balcony). Thatis distinctly better! .. 
But, since he is so cruel, this Cupid, you 
were unwise not to smother him in his 
cradle! 

CHRISTIAN (same business). I tried to, 
but, Madame, the . . . attempt was futile 

128 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


This . . . new-born Love is... a little 
Hercules... 

Roxane. Much, much better! 

CHRISTIAN (same business). ... Who 
found it merest baby-play to... strangle 
the serpents ... twain, Pride and... 
Mistrust. 

Roxane (leaning her elbows on the bal- 
cony-rail). Ah, that is very good 
indeed! ... But why do you speak so 
slowly and stintedly? Has your imagin- 
ation gout in its wings ? 

CYRANO (drawing CHRISTIAN under the 
balcony, and taking his place). Hush! It 
is becoming too difficult! 

RoOxANE. To-night your words come 
falteringly. .. . Why is it? 

Cyrano (talking low like CHRISTIAN). 
Because of the dark. They have to grope 
to find your ear. 

Roxane. My words do not find the 
same difficulty. 

Cyrano. They reach their point at 
once? Ofcourse they do! Thatis because 
I catch them with my heart. My heart, 
you see, is very large, your ear particularly 
small. . . . Besides, yourwordsdrop... 
that goes quickly ; mine havetoclimb. « « 
and that takes longer! 


tag 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


RoxANE. They have been climbing more 
himbly, however, in the last few minutes. 

CyRANO. They are becoming used to 
this gymnastic feat! 

Roxane. It is true that I am talking 
with you from a very mountain top! 

Cyrano. It is sure that a hard word 
dropped from sucha height upon my heart 
would shatter it! 

ROXANE (with the motion of leaving). I 
will come down. 

Cyrano (quickly). Do not! 

Roxane (pointing at the bench at the foot 
of the balcony). Then do you get up on 
the seat! ... 

Cyrano drawing away in terror). Not 

Roxane. How do youmean ... no? 

CyYRANO (with ever-increasing emotion). 
Let us profit a little by this chance of talk- 
ing softly together without seeing each 
other... 

Roxane. Without seeing each 
other? ... 

Cyrano. Yes, to my mind, delectable} 
Fach guesses at the other, and no more. 
You discern but the trailing blackness ofa 
mantle, and I a dawn-grey glimmer which 
’9@asummer gown. Iamashadow merely, 
4 pearly phantom are you! You cam 

130 





Cyrano de Bergerac. 


never know what these moments are to 
me! If everI was eloquent... 

Roxane. You were ! 

Cyrano. My words never till now surged 
from my very heart... 

Roxane. And why ? 

Cyrano. Because, till now, they must 
ytrain to reach you through .. . 

Roxane, What? 

Cyrano. Why, the bewildering emotion 
a man feels who sees you, and whom you 
look upon!.. . But this evening, it 
seems to me that I am speaking to you for 
the first time ! 

Roxane. It is true that your voice is 
altogether different. 

CyRANO (coming nearer, feverishly), Yes, 
altogether different, because, protected by 
the dark, I dare at last to be myself. I 


fare... (He stops, and distractedly.) 
What was I saying? .. . I do not know. 
,.. All this... forgive my incoherence! 
».. isso delicious . . . is so new to me! 


ROXANE. Sonew?... 

Cyrano (in extreme confusion, still try- 
ing to mend his expressions). Sonew... 
yes, new, to be sincere ; the fear of being 
mocked always constrains my heart... 

Roxane. Mocked . . . for what? 

131 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Cyrano. Why,. .. forits impulses, its 
flights! ... Yes, my heart always 
cowers behind the defence of my wit. 1 
set forth to capture a star... and then, 
for dread of laughter, 1 stop and pick @ 
flower . . . of rhetoric! 

Roxane. That sort of flower has its 
pleasing points... 

Cyrano. But yet, to-night, let us scorn 
it ! 

RoxANE. Never before had you spoken 
as you are speaking!... 

Cyrano. Ah, if far from Cupid-darts 
and quivers, we might seek a place of 
somewhat fresher things! If instead of 
drinking, flat sip by sip, from a chiselled 
golden thimble, drops distilled and dulci- 
fied, we might try the sensation of quench- 
ing the thirst of our souls by stooping to 
the level of the great river, and setting our 
lips to the stream ! 

Roxane. But yet, wit... fancy... 
delicate conceits. ... 

Cyrano. I gave my fancy leave to 
frame conceits, before, to make you linger, 
. . . but now it would be an affront to this 
balm-breathing night, to Nature and the 
hour, to talk like characters in a pastoral 
performed at Court! ... Let us give 

132 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Heaven leave, looking at us with all its 
earnest stars, to strip us of disguise and 
artifice: I fear, ... oh, fear! .. . lest 
in our mistaken alchemy sentiment should 
be subtilized to evaporation ; lest the life 
of the heart should waste in these empty 
pastimes, and the final refinement of the 
fine be the undoing of the refined ! 

Roxane. But yet, wit, ... aptness, 
s 2 mgenuity ... 

Cyrano. I hate them in love! Crimi- 
nal, when one loves, to prolong over- 
much that paltry thrust and parry! The 
moment, however, comes inevitably ,—and 
I pity those for whom it never comes !—in 
which, we apprehending the noble depth 
of the love we harbor, a shallow word 
hurts us to utter ! 

Roxane. If... if, then, that moment 


has come for us two, what words will you 
say to me? 


Cyrano. All those, all those, all those 
that come tome! Not in formal nosegay 
order, ... I will throw them you ina 
wild sheaf! I love you, choke with love, 
I love you, dear. . . . My brain reels, I can 
bear no more, it is too much. ... Your 
name is in my heart the golden clapper in 
@ bell; and as I know no rest, Roxane, 


133 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


always the heart is shaken, and ever rings 
your name! .. . Of you, I remember all, 
all have I loved! Last year, one day, the 
twelfth of May, in going out at morning 
you changed the fashion of your hair. . . . 
I have taken the light of your hair for my 
light, and as having stared too long at the 
sun, on everything one sees a scarlet wheel, 
on everything when I come from my 
chosen light, my dazzled eye sets swim- 
ming golden blots! ... 

ROXANE (tn a@ voice unsteady with emo- 
tion). Yes ..'» thisis love:. 2% 

Cyrano. Ah, verily! The feeling which 
invades me, terrible and jealous, is 
love . . . with all itsmournfulfrenzy! It 
is love, yet self-forgetting more than the 
wont of love! Ah, for your happiness now 
readily would I give mine, though you 
should never know it, might I but, from 
a distance, sometimes, hear the happy 
laughter bought by my sacrifice! Every 
glance of yours breeds in me new strength, 
new valor! Are you beginning to under: 
stand? Tell me, do you grasp my love’s 
measure ? Doessome little part of my soul 
make itself felt of you there in the dark- 
ness? ... Oh, what is happening to me 
this evening is too sweet, too deeply dear 


134 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


I tell you all these things, and you listen 
to me, you! Not in my least modest hoping 
did I ever hope somuch! Ihave now only 
to die! It is because of words of mine 
that she is trembling among the dusky 
branches! For you are trembling, like a 
flower among leaves! Yes, you tremble, 
. . . for whether you will or no, I have 
felt the worshipped trembling of your hand 
all along this thrilled and blissful jasmin- 
bough! (Hemadly kisses the end of a pen- 
dant bough.) 

Roxane. Yes, I tremble... and 
weep ...and love you...and am 
yours!...For you have carried me 
away ...away!... 

Cyrano. Then, let death come! I have 
moved you, I!.. . There is but one thing 
morelask... 

CHRISTIAN (under the balcony). A kiss! 

ROXANE (drawing hastily back). What # 

CyrRANo. Oh! 

Roxane. Youask?... 

Prpao) Yes os.) Dus (To Gree 
TIAN.) You are in too great haste! 

CHRISTIAN. Since she is so moved, I 
must take advantage of it! 

CYRANO (fo ROXANE). I... Yes, it ig 
érue I asked .. . but, merciful heavens! 


135 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


... I knew at once that I had been toa 
bold. \ 

ROXANE (a shade disappointed). You ins 
sist no more than so ? 

Cyrano. Indeed, I insist . . . without 
insisting! Yes! yes! but your modesty 
shrinks! . . . I insist, but yet... the 
kiss I begged . . . refuse it me! 

CHRISTIAN (fo CYRANO, pulling at his 
mantle). Why ? 

Cyrano. Hush, Christian! 

ROXANE (bending over the balcony-rail}. 
What are you whispering ? 

CyrRANO. Reproaches te myself for hav- 
ing gone too far; I was saying ‘‘ Hush, 
Christian!” (The theorbos are heard play- 
ing). Your pardon! ...a second! ... 
Someone is coming! 

(ROXANE closes the window. CYRANO 
listens to the theorbos, one of which plays 
a lively, and the other a lugubrious tune). 


Cyrano. Adance?... Adirge?... 
What do they mean? Is it a man ora 
woman?... Ah, it isa monk! 


(Enter a CAPUCHIN Monk, who goes from 
house to house, with a lantern, examining 
the doors.) 

Cyrano (¢o THE CapucHIN). What are 
you looking for, Diagenes ? 

136 





Cyrano de Bergerac. 


THE CAPUCHIN. I am looking for the 
house of Madame. . . 

CHRISTIAN. Heis in the way ! 

THE CAPUCHIN. Magdeleine Robin... . 

CYRANO (pointing up one of the streets). 
Wites way! ..... Straight ahead... go 
straight ahead... . 

THE CAPUCHIN. I thank you. I will 
say ten Aves for your peace. (Evxit.) 

CYRANO. My good wishes speed your 
cowl! (He comes forward toward CHRIs- 
TIAN.) 

CHRISTIAN. Insist upon the kiss! . 

Cyrano. No, I will not ! 

CHRISTIAN. Sooner or later... 

Cyrano. Itis true! It must come, the 
moment of inebriation when your lips 
shall imperiously be impelled toward each 
other, because the one is fledged with 
youthful gold and the other is so soft a 
pink! ... (To himself.) Thad rather it 
should be because . . . (Sound of the win- 
dow reopening ; CHRISTIAN hides under the 
balcony.) 
~~ Roxane (stepping forward on_ the 
balcony). Are you there? We were 
Speaking of , ... of... . ofa. ox 

Cyrano. Kiss. The word is sweet. 
Why does your fair lip stop at it? If the 


137 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


mere word burns it, what will be of the 
thing itself? Do not make it into a fear- 
ful matter, and then fear! Did you not 
a moment ago insensibly leave playfulness 
behind and slip without trepidation from 
asmile to a sigh, from a sigh to a tear ? 
Slip but a little further in the same blessed 
direction : from a tear to a kiss there is 
scarcely a dividing shiver ! 

ROXANE. Say no more! 

Cyrano. A kiss! When all is said, 
what is a kiss? An oath of allegiance 
taken in closer proximity, a promise more 
precise, a seal on a confession, a rose-red 
dot upon the letter i in loving; a secret 
which elects the mouth for ear ; an instant 
of eternity murmuring like a bee; balmy 
communion with a flavor of flowers; a 
fashion of inhaling each other’s heart, and 
of tasting, on the brink of the lips, each 
other’s soul ! 

RoxaNE. Say nomore...nomore! 

Cyrano. A kiss, Madame, is a thing so 
noble that the Queen of France, on the 
most fortunate of lords, bestowed one, did 
the queen herself! 

Roxang. If that beso... 

CYRANO (with increasing fervor). Like 
Buckingham I have suffered in long silence, 

138 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


like him I worship a queen, like him Iam 
sorrowful and unchanging... 

Roxane. Like him you enthrall through 
the eyes the heart that follows you ! 

Cyrano (to himself, sobered). True, I 
am handsome. . . I had forgotten ! 

RoxANE. Come then and gather it, the 
supreme flower .. . 

CYRANO (pushing CHRISTIAN toward the 
balcony). Go! 


RoxaNE. ... tasting of the heart. 
CyesNo:) Golo. 
RoxANE. . . . murmuring likea bee , 


Cyrano. Go! 

CHRISTIAN (hesitating). But now I feel 
as if I ought not! 

Roxane. ... making Eternity an in. 
stant... 

CYRANO (pushing CHRISTIAN). Scale the 
balcony, you donkey ! 

(CHRISTIAN springs toward the balcony, 
and climbs by means of the bench, the vine, 
the posts and balusters). 

CurisTiAN. Ah, Roxane! (He clasps 
her to him, and bends over her lips). 

Cyrano. Hal... What aturnof the 
screw to my heart! ... Kiss, banquet 
of Love at which I am Lazarus, a crumb 
drops from your table even to me, here in 


139 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


the shade. . . . Yes, in my outstretched 
heart a little falls, as I feel that upon the 
lip pressing her lip Roxane kisses the 


words spoken by me! ... (The theorbos 
areheard.) A merry tune... a mourn- 
fulone . . . The monk! (He goes through 


the pretence of arriving on the spot ata 
run, as if from a distance ; calling.) Ho, 
there ! 

Roxane. What is it ? 

Cyrano. It is I. I was passing this 
way. Is Christian there ? 

CHRISTIAN (astonished). Cyrano! 

ROXANE. Good-evening, cousin ? 

CYRANO. Cousin, good-evening' 

Roxane. I will come down. 

(ROXANE disappears in the house. YH 
CAPUCHIN re-enters at the back.) 

CHRISTIAN (seeing him). Oh, again! (He 
follows ROXANE.) 

THE CAPUCHIN. It is here she lives, I am 


certain . . . Magdeleine Robin. 
CYRANO. You said Ro-lin. 
THE CAPUCHIN. No, bin,. . . b,i,n, bin! 


ROXANE (appearing upon the threshold, 
followed by RAGUENEAU carrying a lantern, 
and CHRISTIAN). What is it ? 

THE CAPUCHIN. A letter. 

CHRISTIAN. What ? 

140 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


THE CAPUCHIN (to ROXANE). Oh, the con- 
tents can be only of a sacred character ! 
It is from a worthy nobleman who... 

ROXANE (fo CHRISTIAN). It is from De 
Guiche ! 

CHRISTIAN. Hedaresto... ? 

RoxANE. Oh, he will not trouble me 
muchlonger! (Opening the letter.) Ilove 
you, andif ... (By the light of RAGUE- 
NEAU’S lantern she reads, aside, low.) 
Mademoiselle: The drums are _ beating. 
My regiment is buckling on its corselct, 
It is about to leave. I am thought to have 
left already, butlag behind. Iam disobey- 
ing you. I amin theconvent here. I am 
coming to you, and send you word bya 
friar, silly as asheep, who has no suspicion 
of the import of this letter. You smiled 
too sweetly upon me an hour ago: I must 
gee you smile again. Provide to be alone, 
and deign graciously to receive the auda- 
cious worshipper, forgiven already, I can 
but hope, who signs himself your—ete. . .. 
(To THE CAPUCHIN.) Father, this is what 
the letter tells me... Listen: (All draw 
nearer ; she reads aloud.) Mademoiselle : 
The wishes of the cardinal may not be dis- 
regarded, however hard compliance with 
them prove. I have therefore chosen ag 

r4u 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


bearer of this letter a most reverend, holy, 
and sagacious Capuchin ; it is our wish that 
he should at once, in your own dwelling, 
pronounce the nuptial blessing over you. 
Christian must secretly become your hus- 
band. I send him to you. You dislike 
him. Bow to Heaven's will in resignation, 
and be sure that it will bless your zeal, and 
sure, likewise, Mademoiselle, of the re- 
spect of him whe is and will be ever your 


most humble and. . . etc. 
THE CAPUCHIN (beaming). The worthy 
gentleman! . . . I knew it! You re 


member that I said so: The contents of 
that letter can be only of a sacred charac 
ter ! 

RoxaNE (low, to CHRISTIAN). I am a 
fluent reader, am I not ? 

CHRISTIAN. Hm! 

ROXANE (with feigned despair). Ah... 
it is horrible ! 

THE CAPUCHIN (who has turned the light 
of his lantern upon CYRANO). You are the 
one ? 

CHRISTIAN. No, I am. 

THE CAPUCHIN (turning the light upon him, 
and as if his good looks aroused suspicion). 
Deity! oes 

Roxane (quickly). Postscript: Yow 

142 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


will bestow upon the convent two hundred 
and fifty crowns. 

THE CAPUCHIN. The worthy, worthy gen- 
tleman! (Zo ROXANE.) Be reconciled! 

ROXANE (with the expression of a martyr). 
I will endeavor! (While RAGUENEAU opens 
the door for THE CAPUCHIN, whom CHRISTIAN 
is showing into the house, ROXANE says low 
toCyRANO.) De Guiche is coming!... 
Keep him here! Do not let him enter 
WHEL. <> 

Cyrano. [understand ! (To THE CAPU- 
CHIN.) How long will it take to marry 
them ? 

THE CAPUCHIN. A quarter of an hour. 

CyRANO (pushing all toward the house). 
Go in ! Ishall be here ! 

RoxXANE (fo CHRISTIAN). Come! 

(They goin.) 

Cyrano. How can I detain De Guiche 
for aquarter ofanhour? (He jumps upon 


the bench, climbs the wall toward the bal- 
cony rail.) So!...Iclimbuphere!... 
I know whatI will do! ... (The theor- 
bos play a melancholy tune.) Ho, it is a 
man! (The tune quavers lugubriously.) 
Ho, ho, this time thereisno mistake! (He 
ts on the balcony ; he pulls the brim of his 
hat over his eyes, takes off his sword, wraps 
143 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


his cloak about him, and bends over the bal: 
cony-rail.) No, it is not too far! (He 
climbs over the balcony rail, and reaching 
for a long bough that projects beyond 
the garden wall, holds on to it with both 
hands, ready to let himself drop.) I shall 
make a slight commotion in the atmos- 
phere ! 

DE GUICHE (enters masked, groping in 
the dark). What can that thrice-damned 
Capuchin be about ? 

Cyrano. The devil ! if he should rec- 
ognize my voice? (Letting go with one 
hand, he makes show of turning a key.) 
Cric! crac! (Solemnly.) Cyrano, resume 
the accent of Bergerac ! 

DE GUICHE (looking at RoXANE’s house). 
Yes, that is it. I can scarcely see. This 
mask bothers my eyes! (He is about to 
enter ROXANE’S house; CYRANO swings 
from the balcony, holding on to the bough, 
which bends and lets him down between the 
door and Dr GuicHE. He intentionally 
drops very heavily, to give the effect of 
dropping from a great height, and lies 
flattened upon the ground, motionless, as if 
stunned.) 

DE GuICHE. What is it? (When he 
looks up, the bough has swung into place; 

744 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


he sees nothing but the sky). Where did 
this man drop from ? 

Cyrano (rising to a sitting posture). 
From the moon ! 


Dre GuicHE. Fromthe... ? 
Cyrano (inadreamy voice), What time 
is it? 


DE GuicHE. Is he mad ? 

Cyrano. What time? What country 
What day? What season ? 

De GuicHe. But... 

Qyrano. Iam dazed! 

Dr GuicHE. Monsieur... 

Cyrano. Ihavedropped from the moon 
like a bomb! 

DE GUICHE (impatiently). Whatare you 
babbling about ? 

Cyrano (rising, in a terrible voice). I 
tell you I have dropped from the moon! 

DE GUICHE (backing a step). Very well, 
You have dropped from the moon! .. 
He is perhaps a lunatic! 

Cyrano (walking up close to him). Not 
metaphorically, mind that! 

Dre GuicHE. But... 

Cyrano. A hundred years ago, or else 
a minute,—for I have no conception how 
long I have been falling,—I was up there, 
in that saffron-colored ball! 


19 145 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


DE GUICHE (shrugging his shoulders). 
You were. Now, let me pass! 

CYyRANO (standing in his way). Where 
amI? Befrank with me! Keep nothing 
from me! In what region, among what 
people, have I been shot like an aerolite ? 

Dr GuiIcHE. I wish to pass! 

Cyrano. While falling I could not 
choose my way, and have no notion where 
T have fallen! Is it upon a moon, or is it 
upon an earth, I have been dragged by 
my posterior weight ? 

Dr GuicHE. I tell you, sir. . 

CYRANO (with a scream of terror at whieh 
DE GUICHE starts backward a step). Great 
God! .. In this country men’s faces are 
soot-black! 

DE GUICHE (lifting his hand to his face). 
What does he mean ? 

CyRANO (still terrified). Am I in AI.- 
geria? Are youanative?... 

DrE GUICHE (who has felt hismask). Ah, 
my mask ! 

CyRANo (pretending to be easier). Sol 
am in Venice! ... Oram Jin Genoa? 

DE GUICHE (attempting to pass). A lady 
is expecting me! 

Cyrano (completely reassured). Ah 
then I am in Paris. 

146 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


DE GUICHE (smiling in spite of himself). 
The rogue is not far from amusing! 

Cyrano. Ah, you are laughing! 

Dr GuicHEe. Ilaugh . . . butintend to 
pass! 

Cyrano (beaming). To think I should 
strike Paris! (Quite at his ease, laughing, 
brushing himself, bowing.) I arrived— 
pray, pardon my appearance !—by the last 
whirlwind. Iam rather unpresentable— 
Travel, you knew! My eyes are still full 
of star-dust. My spurs are clogged with 
bristles off a planet. (Appearing to pick 
something off his sleeve.) See, on my 
sleeve, a comet’s hair! (He makes a feint 
of blowing it away.) 

DE GUICHE (beside himself). Sr . . 

CyRANO (as DE GUICHE is about to pass, 
stretching out his leg as if to show some- 
thing on it, thereby stopping him.) Em: 
bedded in my calf, I have brought back 
one of the Great Bear’s teeth . . . and as, 
falling too near the Trident, I strained aside 
to clear one of its prongs, I landed sitting 
in Libra, . . . yes, oneof the scales! ... 
and now my weight is registered up there! 
(Quickly preventing DE GUICHE from pass- 
ing, and taking hola of a button on his 
doublet.) And if, Monsieur, you should 


547 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


take my nose between your fingers and 
compress it . . . milk would result! 

DE GUICHE. What are you saying? 
Malke tits 2 

Cyrano. Of the Milky Way. 

DE GUICHE. Go to the devil! 

Cyrano. No! Iam sent from Heaven, 
literally. (Folding his arms.) Will you 
believe—I discovered it in passing—that 
Sirius at night puts onanight-cap? (Con- 
fidentially.) The lesser Bear is too little yet 
tobite. . . . (Laughing.) Itumbled plump 
through Lyra, and snappeda string!... 
(Magnificent.) But Iintend setting all this 
down in abook, and the golden stars I have 
brought back caught in my shaggy mantle, 
when the book is printed, will be seen 
serving as asterisks! 

De Guicue. I have stood this long 
enough! I want... 

Cyrano. I know perfectly what you 
want! 

DE GUICHE. Man. 

Cyrano. You want to know, from me, 
at first hand, what the moon is made of, 
and whether that monumental pumpkin is 
inhabited ? 

DE GUICHE (shouting). Not in the very 
least! I want... 

148 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Cyrano. Toknow howI gotthere? I 
got there by a method of my own inven- 
tion. 

DE GUICHE (discouraged). He is mad! 

. Stark! 

CyRANo (disdainfully). Do not imagine 
that I resorted to anything so absurd 
as Regiomontanus’s eagle, or anything so 
tacking in enterprise as Archytas’s 
pigeon! . 

DE GUICHE. The madman is eru- 
BIOS 

Cyrano. I drew up nothing that had 
ever been thought of before ! (DE GUICHE 
has succeeded in getting past CYRANO, and 
is nearing ROXANE’s door ; CyRANO follows 
him, ready to buttonhole him.) I invented 
no less than six ways of storming the blue 
fort of Heaven ! 

DE GUICHE (turning around). Six, did 
you say ? 

CYRANO (volubly). One way was to 
stand naked in the sunshine, in a harness 
thickly studded with glass phials, each 
filled with morning dew. Thesunin draw. 
ing up the dew, you see, could not have 
helped drawing me up too! 

DE GUICHE (surprised, taking a step to 
ward CYRANO). True. That isone! 


149 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


CyRANO (taking a step backward, with a 
view to drawing DE GUICHE away from the 
door). Or else, I could have let the wind 
into a cedar coffer, then rarified the im 
prisoned element by means of cunningly 
adjusted burning-glasses, and soared up 
with it! ; 

DE GUICHE (faking another step toward 
CyRANO). Two! 

CyRANO (backing). Orelse, mechanic as 
well as artificer, I could have fashioned a 
giant grasshopper, with steel joints, which, 
impelled by successive explosions of salt 
peter, would have hopped with me to the 
azure meadows where graze the starry 
flocks ! 

DE GUICHE (unconsciously following 
CYRANO, and{counting on his fingers). That 
makes three ! 

CyrANO. Since smoke by its nature 
ascends, I could have blown into an appro- 
priate globe a sufficient quantity to ascend 
with me! 

DE GUICHE (as above, more and more as: 
tonished). Four! 

CyRANO. Since Phoebe, the moon- 
goddess, when she is at wane, is greedy, G 
beeves ! of your marrow, . . . with thai 
marrow have besmeared myself ! 

150 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Dr GuIcHE (amazed). Five! 

Cyrano (who while talking has backed, 
followed by DE GuIcHE, to the further side of 
the square, neara bench). Or else, 1 could 
have placed myself upon an iron plate, 
have taken a magnet of suitable size, and 
thrown it in the air! That way is a very 
good one! The magnet flies upward, the 
iron instantly after ; the magnet no sooner 
overtaken than you fling it up again. .. . 
The rest is clear! You can go upward in- 
definitely. 

Dre GuicHE. Six! ... Buthereare six 
excellent methods ! Which of the six, my 
dear sir, did you select ? 

CyRANo. A seventh ! 

DE GuicHE. Did you, indeed? And 
what was that ? 

Cyrano. I give youa hundred guesses ! 

DEGUuICHE. I must confess that I should 
like to know ! 

Cyrano (imitating the noise of the surf, 
and making great mysterious gestures), 
Hoo-ish! hoo-ish! 

DE GUICHE. Well! What is that ? 

Cyrano. Cannot you guess ? 

DE GUICHE. No! 

Cyrano. The tide! ... At the hour in 
which the moon attracts the deep, I lay 

IS! 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


down upon the sands, afterasea-bath ... 
and, my head being drawn up first,—the 
reason of this, you see, that the hair will 
hold a quantity of water in its mop!—I 
rose in the air, straight, beautifully 
straight, likeanangel. Irose... I rosa 
softly . . . without an effort . . . when, 
suddenly, I felt ashock. Then... 

DE GUICHE (lured on by curiosity, tak« 
ing a seat on the bench). Well, 
then ? . 

Cyrano. Then... (resuming his nat- 
ural voice.) The timeisup, Monsieur, and 
I release you. They are married. 

DE GUICHE (getting to his feet with a leap). 
Iam dreaming or drunk! That voice? 
(The door of RoxANE’s house opens; lack- 
eys appear carrying lighted candelabra. 
CYRANO removes his hat.) And that nose! 

. Cyrano! 

CYRANOo (bowing). Cyrano. They have 
exchanged rings within the quarter of the 
hour. 

DE GUICHE. Who have? (He turns round. 
Tableau. Behind the lackey. 8 
ANE and CuristT1an holding#hands. 
CapucHin follows them smiling. RaGuE- 
YEAU holds high a flambeau. THE DUENNA 
closes the procession, bewildered, in her 

152 





Cyrano de Bergerac. 


bedgown.) Heavens! (toRoxaneE.) You! 
(Recognizing CHRISTIAN with amazement.) 
He? (Bowing to ROXANE.) Your astute- 
ness compels my admiration! (To 
CyRANO.) My compliments to you, ingen- 
ious inventor of flying machines. Your 
experiences would have beguiled a saint on 
the threshold of Paradise! Make a note 
of them. . . . They can be used again, 
with profit, in a book! 

CyRANO (bowing). Iwill confidently fol- 
low your advice. 

THE CAPUCHIN (to DE GUICHE, pointing 
at the lovers, and wagging his great white 
beard with satisfaction). <A _ beautiful 
couple, my son, brought together by you! 

DE GUICHE (eyeing him frigidly). As 
yousay! (ToROxANE.) And now proceed, 
Madame, to take leave of your husband. 

Roxane. What? 

Dr GUICHE (to CHRISTIAN). The regi- 
ment is on the point of starting. You are 
to join it! 

RoOxANE. To go to war? 

DE GuiIcHE. Of course! 

ROXANE. But the cadets are not going! 

DE GuicHE. Theyare! (Taking out the 
paper which he had put in his pocket, 
Here is the order. (To CHRISTIAN.) Ibea 

153 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


you will take it to the Captain, baron, 
yourself. 

ROXANE (throwing herself in CHRISTIAN’S 
arms). Christian ! 

DE GUICHE (fo CYRANO, with a malignant 
laugh). The wedding night is somewhat 
far as yet |! 

CYRANO (aside). He thinks that he is 
giving me great pain ! 

CHRISTIAN (fo ROXANE). Oh, once more, 
dear! ... Oncemore! 

Cyrano. Be reasonable... Come! 
4s. Enough |! 

CHRISTIAN (still clasping ROXANE). Oh, 
itis hard to leave her. . . . You cannot 
know... 

CyRANO (frying to draw him away). 2 
know. 

(Drums are heard in the distance sound- 
ing a march.) 

DE GUICHE (at the back). The regiment 
is on its way ! 

ROXANE (fo CyRANO, while she clings ta 
CHRISTIAN whom he is trying todraw away). 
Oh! ...I1 entrust him to your care} 
Promise that under no circumstance shall 
his life be placed in danger ! 

Cyrano. I will endeavor ... but ob 
viously cannot promise... 

T54 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


ROXANE (same business). Promise that 
he will be careful of himself! 

CyRANO. I will do my best, but... 

ROXANE (as above). That during this 
terrible siege he shall not take harm from 
the cold! 

Cyrano. Iwilltry, but... 

ROXANE (as above). That he will be trus 
to me! 

Cyrano. Of course, but yet, yousee ... 

ROXANE (as above). That he will write 
to me often! 

Cyrano (stopping). Ah, that... ' 
romise freely! 


(Curtain.) 


158 


ACT FOURTH. 
THE GASCONY CADETS. 


The post occupied at the siege of Arras 
by the company of CARBON DE CASTEL-JA- 
toux. At the back, across the whole stage, 
sloping earthwork. Beyond this is seen a 
plain stretching to the horizon ; the country 
is covered with constructions relating to tha 
siege. Inthe distance, against the sky, the 
outlines of the walls and roofs of Arras. 
Tents ; scatteredarms ; drums, ete. It ta 
shortly before sunrise. The East is yellow. 
Sentinels at even intervals. Camp-fires. 
The Gascony CaveEts lie asleep, rolled in 
their cloaks. CARBON DE CASTEL-J ALOUX 
and Le Bret are watching. All are very 
pale and gaunt. CHRISTIAN lies sleeping 
among the others, in his military cape, in 
the foreground, his face lighted by one of 
the camp-fires. Silence. 


Le Bret. It is dreadful ! 
CaRBON. Yes. Nothing left. 
Le Bret. Mordious! 

T5€ 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


CARBON (warning him by a gesture to 
speak lower). Curse in a whisper! You 
will wake them! .. . (To the CADETs.) 
Hush! Go to sleep! (Zo LE BRET.) Who 
sleeps dines. 

LE Bret. Who lies awake misses two 
good things . . . What a situation! 

(A few shots are heard in the distance.) 

CaRBON. The devil take their popping ! 
They will wake my young ones! . . . (To 
the CaDETS who lift their heads.) Go to 
sleep! 

(The CavEets lie down again. Other 
shots are heard, nearer.) 

ONE OF THE CaDETs (stirring). The 
devil! Again ? 

CARBON. It is nothing. It is Cyrano 
getting home. (The headswhich had started 
up, go down again.) 

A SENTINEL (outside). Ventrebleu ! 
Who goes there ? 

CYRANO’S VOICE. Bergerac ! 

THE SENTINEL (upon the embankment). 
Ventrebleu ! Who goes there ? 

Cyrano (appearing at the top of the em- 
bankment). Bergerac, blockhead! 

(He comes down. LE BRET goes to him, 
uneasy.) 

LE Bret. Ah, thank God ! . 


137 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


CYRANO (warning him by a sign to wake 
no one). Hush! 

Lr Bret. Wounded ? 

Cyrano. Do you not know that it has 
become a habit with them to miss me ? 

LE Bret. To me, it seems a little ex 
cessive that you should, every morning, 
for the sake of taking a letter, risk .. . 

CyYRANO (stopping in front of CHRISTIAN) 
I promised that he would write often 
(He looks at CHRISTIAN). He sleeps. He 
has grown pale. If the poor little girl 
could know that he is starving. ... But 
handsome as ever ! 

Le Bret. Go at once and sleep. 

Cyrano. Le Bret, do not grumble! 
Learn this: I nightly cross the Spanish 
lines at a point where I know beforehand 
every one will be drunk. 

Le Bret. You ought some time to bring 
us back some victuals ! 

Cyrano. I must be lightly burdened ta 
flit through! . . . But I know that there 
will be events before the evening. The 
French, unless I am much mistaken, will 
eat or die. 

LE Bret. Oh, tell us! 

Cryano. No,Iamnotcertain. .. You 
will see ! 

\ 158 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


CarBon, What a shameful reversal of 
the order of things, that the besieger should 
be starved ! 

Le Bret. Alas! never was more compli- 
cated siege than this of Arras: We be« 
siege Arras, and, caught in a trap, are our- 
selves besieged by the Cardinal-prince of 
Spain... 

Cyrano. Someone now ought to come 
and besiege him. 

Le Bret. I am not joking! 

Cyrano. Oh, oh! 

Le Bret. To think, ungrateful boy, 
that every day you risk a life precious as 


yours, solely to carry . . . (CYRANO goes 
toward one of the tents.) Where are you 
going ? 


Cyrano. Iam going to write another. 


(He lifts the canvas flap, and disappears 
in the tent.) 


(Daybreak has brightened. Rosy flush. 
The city of Arras at the horizon catches a 
golden light. The report of a cannon is 
heard, followed at once by adrum-call, very 
far away, at the left. Other drums beat, 
nearer. The drum-calls answer one an» 
other, come nearer, come very near, and qo 
aff. decreasing, dying in the disatnce, to 

159 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


ward the right, having made the circuit of 
the camp. Noise of general awakening. 
Voices of officers in the distance). 

CARBON (with a sigh). The reveille. . . 
Ah, me!... (The Cavets stir in their 
cloaks, stretch.) An end to the succulent 
slumbers! I know but too well what their 
first word will be! 

ONE OF THE CADETS (sitting up). Iam 
famished! 

OTHER CADET. I believe I am dying! 

Ni i 8) 

CARBON. Get up! 

THIRD CADET. I cannot go astep! 

FourtTH CapDET. I have not strength te 
stir! 

First CADET (looking at himself in a bit 
of armor.) My tongue is coated : it must 
be the weather that is indigestible! 

OTHER CADET. Any one who wants 
them, can have all my titles of nobility for 
na Chester cheese . . . or part of one! 

OTHER CADET. If my stomach does not 
have something put into it to take up the 
attention of my gastric juice, I shall retire 
into my tent before long . . . like Achil- 
les! 

OTHER CapDET. Yes, they ought to pro: 
wde us with bread! 

166 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


CaRBON (going to the tent into which 
Cyrano has retired ; low.) Cyrano! 

OTHER CADETS. We cannot stand this 
much longer! 

CARBON (as above, at the door of the tent). 
To the rescue, Cyrano! You who succeed 
80 well always in cheering them, come and 
make them pluck up spirits ! 

SEeconD CapbeEt (falling upon First CADET 
who is chewing something). What are you 
chewing, man? 

Firts Capet. A bit of gun-tow fried in 
axle-grease. ... using a burganet as 
frying pan. The suburbs of Arras are not 
precisely richingame. ... 

OTHER CADET (entering). I have beer 
hunting! 

OTHER CADET (the same). I have been 
fishing! 

ALL (rising and falling wpon the neuw- 
comers). What ?—what did you catch ?-- 
A pheasant ?—A carp ?—Quick! quick ! 

. . Let us see! 

THE HuNTSMAN. Asparrow! 

THE ANGLER. A gudgeon! 

ALL (exasperated). Enough of this! 
Let us revolt! 

CARBON. To the rescue, Cyrano! 

(It is now broad daylight.) 

it 161 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


CYRANO (coming out of the tent, tranquid, 
a pen behind his ear, a book in his hand). 
Whatis the matter? (Silence. To First 
CADET.) Why do you go off like that, with 
that slouching gait ? 

THE CapET. I have something away 
down in my heels which inconveniences 
me. 

Cyrano. And what is that? 

THE CADET. My stomach. 

Cyrano. That is where mine is, too. 

THE CADET. Then you too must be in- 
convenienced. 

Cyrano. No. The size of the hollow 
within me merely increases my sense of 
my size. 

SECOND CADET. I happen to have teeth, 
long ones! 

Cyrano. The better will you bite... 
in good time! 

THIRD CADET. I reverberate like a drum! 

Cyrano, You will be of use ... to 
sound the charge! 

OTHER CADET. I havea buzzipg in my 
ears! 

Cyrano. A mistake. Empty belly, na 
ears. You hear no buzzing. 

OTHER CADET. Ah, a trifling article t¢@ 
eat . . . and a little oil upon it ! 

342 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Cyrano (taking off the CADET’s morion 
and placing it in his hand). That is 
seasoned. 

OTHER CADET. What isthere we could 
devour ? 

Cyrano (tossing him the book he has 
been holding). Try the Iliad! 

OTHER CADET. The minister, in’ Paris, 
makes his four meals a day ! 

Cyrano. You feel it remiss in him not 
to send you a bit of partridge ? 

THE SAME. Why should he not? And 
some wine ! 

Cyrano. Richelieu, some Burgundy, if 
you please ? 

THE Same. He might, by one of his 
eapuchins! 

Cyrano. By his Eminence, perhaps, in 
Vober gray ? 

OTHER CADET. No ogre was ever so 
hungry ! 

CyrRANo. You may have your fill yet 
pf humble-pie! 

First CabDEtT (shrugging his shoulders). 
Forever jests! ... puns! ... mots! 

Cyrano. Le mot forever, indeed! And 
I would wish to die, on a fine evening, 
under a rose-flushed sky, delivering myself 
of a good mot in a good cause!... Ah, 

163 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


yes, the best were indeed, far from fevers 
bed and potion, pierced with the only noble 
weapon, by an adversary worthy of one- 
self, to fall upon a glorious field, the point 
of a sword through his heart, the point of 
a jest on his lips!... 

ALL (in a wail). Tam hungry! 

Cyrano (folding his arms). God ha’ 
mercy! can you think of nothing but eating$ 
. . . Come here, Bertrandou the fifer, once 
the shepherd! Take from the double case 
one of your fifes: breathe into it, play to 
this pack of guzzlers and of gluttons our 
homely melodies, of haunting rhythm, 
every note of which appeals like a little 
sister, through whose every strain are heard 
strains of beloved voices . . . mild melodieg 
whose slowness brings to mind the slowness 
of the smoke upcurling from our native 
hamlet hearths . . . melodies that seem to 
speak toa man in his native dialect! .. (The 
old fifer sits down and makes ready his fife.) 
To-day let the fife, martial unwillingly, be 
reminded, while your fingers upon its 
slender stem flutter like birds in a delicate 
Minuet, that before being ebony it was 
reed ; surprise itself by what you make it 
sing, . . . let it feel restored to it the soul 
of its youth, rustic and peaceable! (Th 

164 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


old man begins playing Languedoc tunes} 

Listen, Gascons! It isno more, beneath 
his fingers, the shrill fife of the camp, 
but the soft flute of the woodland! Itis no 
more, between his lips, the whistling note of 
battle, but the lowly lay of goatherds lead- 
ing their flocks to feed! . . . Hark! ... 

It sings of the valley, the heath, the 
forest! . . . of the little shepherd, sun- 
burned under his crimson cap!.. . the 
green delight of evening on theriver!... 
Hark, Gascons all! It sings of Gascony! 

(Every head has drooped ; all eyes have 
grown dreany ; tearsare furtively brushed 
wway with a sleeve, the hem of a cloak). 

CARBON (to CyYRANO, low). You are 
making them weep! 

CyrANo. With homesickness! ...a 
nobler pain than hunger . . . not physi- 
cal: mental! Iam glad the seat of their 
suffering should have removed . .. that 
the gripe should now afflict their hearts! 

CARBON. But you weaken them, making 
them weep! 

Cyrano (beckoning to a drummer). 
Never fear! The hero in their veins is 
quickly roused. It is enough to. . . (He 
signs to the drummer who begins drum 
ming.) 

165 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


ALL (starting to their feet and snatching 


uptheirarms). Hein?... What?... 
What is it ? 
CYRANO (smiling). Yousee?... The 


sound of thedrum wasenough! Farewell 
dreams, regrets, old homestead, love. . . 
What comes with the fife with the drum 


may go... 
ONE OF THE CADETS (looking off at the 
back). Ah! ah!... Here comes Mon- 


sieur de Guiche ! 

ALL THE CADETS (grumbling). Hoo... 

Cyrano (smiling). Flattering mur- 
con) aan 

ONE OF THE CADETS. Heboresus!... 

OTHER CADET. Showing himself off, 
with his broad point collar on top of his 
OIUAOP Lc cay 0 

OTHER CADET. Asif lace were worn 
with steel! 

First CADET. Convenient, if you have 
a boil on your neck to cover... 

SEconD CapDET. There is another cour- 
tier for you ! 

OTHER CADET. His uncle’s own nephew! 

CARBON. He is a Gascon, nevertheless! 

First CaDEtT. Not genuine! ... Never 
trust him. For a Gascon, look you, must 
be something of a madman: nothing ig 

166 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


so deadly to deal with as a Gascou who ia 
completely rational ! 

LE Bret. He is pale! 

OTHER CaDET. Heis hungry, as hungry 
as any poor devil of us! But his corslet 
being freely embellished with gilt studs, 
his stomach-ache is radiant in the sun ! 

Cyrano (eagerly). Letus not appear to 
suffer, either! You, your cards, your 
pipes, your dice . . . (All briskly set them- 
selves to playing with cards and dice, on 
the heads of drums, on stools, on cloaks 
spread over the ground. They light long 
tobacco pipes.) And I will be reading 
Descartes. . . 

(He walks to and fro, forward and back- 
ward, reading a small book which he has 
taken from his pocket. Tableau. Enter 
DE GuUICHE. Every one appears absorbed 
and satisfied. Dr GUICHE is very pale. 
He goes toward CARBON.) 

DE GuIcHE (to CaRBoNn). Ah, good. 
morning. (They look at each other at. 
tentively. Aside, with satisfaction). He 
is pale as plaster. 

CARBON (same business). His eyes ara 
all that is left of him. 

DE GUICHE (looking at the CADETS). Sé¢ 
here are the wrongheaded rascals?... 

167 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Yes, gentlemen, it is reported to me on 
every side that Iam your scoff and deri: 
sion ; that the cadets, highland nobility, 
Béarn clodhoppers, Périgord baronets, 
cannot express sufficient contempt for their 
colonel ; call me intriguer, courtier, find 
it irksome to their taste that I should wear, 
with my cuirass, a collar of Genoese point, 
and never cease to air their wondering in- 
dignation that a man should be a Gascon 
without being a vagabond ! (Silence, 
The CaDETs continue smoking and playing). 
Shall I have you punished by your cap- 
tain? . . . Ido not like to. 

CaRBON. Did you otherwise, however, 
,. . Lam free, andpunishonly ... 

De Guicoe. Ah?... 

Carbon. My company is paid by my 
self, belongs to me. I obey no orders but 
such as relate to war. 

DreGuicHE. <Ah,is itso? Enough, then. 
I will treat your taunts with simple scorn. 
My fashion of deporting myself under fire 
is well known. You are not unaware of 
the manner in which yesterday, at Bapau- 
me, I forced back the columns of the Comte 
de Bucquoi; gathering my men together 
to plunge forward like an avalanche, three 
times I charged him. .. . 

168 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Cyrano (without lifting his nose from 
his book). And your white scarf? 

Dr GUICHE (surprised and self-satisfied). 
You heard of that circumstance? ... In 
fact, it happened that as I was wheeling 
about to collect my men for the third 
charge, I was caught in a stream of 
fugitives which bore me onward to the 
edge of the enemy. Iwas in danger of 
being captured and cut off with an arque- 
buse, when I had the presence of mind to 
untie and let slip to the ground the white 
scarf which proclaimed my military grade. 
Thus was I enabled, undistinguished, to 
withdraw from among the Spaniards, and 
thereupon returning with my reinspirited 
men, to defeat them. Well?.. . What 
do you say to the incident ? 

(The CADETS have appeared not to be 
listening; at this point, however, hands 
with cards and dice-boxes remain suspended 
in the air; no pipe-smoke is ejected; all 
expresses expectation.) 

CyRANO. That never would Henry the 
fourth, however great the number of his 
opponents, have consented to diminish his 
presence by the size of his white plume. 

(Silent joy. Cards fall, dice rattle, 
smoke upwreathes.) 

169 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Dr GuicHE. The trick was successful, 
however |! 

(As before, expectation suspends gam: 
bling and smoking.) 

Cyrano. Very likely. But one should 
not resign the honor of being a target. 
(Cards, dice, smoke, fall, rattle, and up- 
wreathe, as before, in expression of increas: 
ing glee.) Had I been at hand when you 
allowed your scarf to drop—the quality of 
our courage, monsieur, shows different in 
this,—I would have picked it up and worn 
BU ia. as 
Dr GuicHE. Ah, yes,—mere of your 
fascon bragging! . . 

CyRANO. Bragging? ... Lend me the 
scarf. I engage to mount, ahead of all, to 
the assault, wearing it crosswise upon my 
breast ! . 

DE GuicHE. A Gascon’s offer, that too! 
You know that the scarf was left in the 
enemy’s camp, by the banks of the Scarpe, 
where bullets since then have hailed . . . 
whence no one can bring it back ! 

Cyrano (taking a white scarf from his 
pocket and handing it to DE GUICHE). Here 
it is. | 

(Silence. The CapDETS smother thei 
laughter behind cards and in dice-boxes, 


bie dee} 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


De GuIcHE turns around, looks at them, 
instantly they become grave; one of them, 
with an air of unconcern, whistles the tune 
played earlier by the fifer). 

DE GUICHE (taking the scarf). I thank 
you. I shall be able with this shred of 
white to make a signal . . . which I was 
hesitating to make. . . (He goes to the top 
of the bank and waves the scarf.) 

ALL. What now ?... What is this? 

THE SENTINEL (at the top of the bank). 
A man... over there. . . running 
Oia 

DE GUICHE (coming forward again). It 
is a supposed Spanish spy. He is very 
useful to us. The information he carries 
to the enemy is that which I give him,—- 
so that their decisions are influenced by us, 

Cyrano. He isa scoundrel ! 

DE GUICHE (coolly tying on his scarf), 
fle is a convenience. We were saying ? 

. Ah, I was about to tell you. Last 
night, having resolved upon a desperate 
stroke to obtain supplies, the Marshal 
secretly set out for Dourlens. The royal 
sutlers areencamped there. Heexpects toe 
join them by way of the tilled fields; but, te 
provide against interference, he took with 
him troopsin such number that, certainly, 

1713 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


if we were now attacked, the enemy would 
find easy work. Half of the army is 
absent from the vamp. 

CaRBon. If the Spaniards knew that, it 
might be serious. But they do not know. 

Dr GuicHE. They do. And are going 
to attack us. 

CaRBon. Ah! 

DE GUICHE. My pretended spy came 
to warn me of their intention. He said, 
moreover: I can direct the attack. At 
what point shall it be ? I will lead 
them to suppose it the least strong, and 
they will centre their efforts against it. I 
answered : Very well. Go from the camp. 
Look down the line. Let them attack 
at the point Isignal from. 

CARBON (fo the CaDETs). Gentlemen, 
get ready! (All get wp. Norse of swords 
and belts being buckled on.) 

Dre GuICcHE. They will be herein an hour 

First Caper. Oh! ,... if there ig 4 
whole hour! . 

(All sit down again, and go on with thet» 
games.) 

DE GUICHE (fo CARBON), The main obs 
‘ect is to gain time. The Marshal is on hi 
way back. 

Carbon. And to gain time ? 

t72 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


De GuICHE, You will be so obliging as 
to keep them busy killing you. 

Cyrano. Ah, this is your revenge !? 

Dr GuiIcHE. I will not pretend that if I 
had been fond of you, I would have thus 
singled out you and yours; but, as your 
bravery is unquestionably beyond that of 
others, I am serving my King at the same 
time as my inclination. 

Cyrano. Suffer me, monsieur, to ex- 
press my gratitude. 

Dre GuicHE. I know that you affect 
fighting one against a hundred. You will 
not complain of lacking opportunity. (He 
goes toward the back with CARBON.) 

Cyrano (to the CADETs). We shall now 
be able, gentlemen, to add to the Gascon 
escutcheon, which bears, as it is, six chev- 
rons, or and azure, the chevron that was 
wanting to complete it,—blood-red ! 

(DE GuicuHE at the back speaks low with 
CarBon. Ordersaregiven. Allis made 
ready to repel an attack, CYRANO goes 
toward CHRISTIAN, who stands motionless, 
with folded arms.) 

Cyrano (laying his hand on CHRISTIAN’S 
shoulder). Christian ? 

CHRISTIAN (shaking his head). Roxanei 

Cyrano. Ah me! 


£73 


Cyrano de Bergerac, 


CHRISTIAN. I wish I might at least put 
my whole heart’s last blessing in a beaut 
ful letter ! 

Cyrano. I mistrusted that it would 
come to-day. . . (he takesa letter from his 
doublet) and I have written your fare 
wells. 

CHRISTIAN. Let me see! 

Cyrano. You wish toseeit?... 

CHRISTIAN (taking the letter). Yes! 
(He opens the letter, begins to read, stops 
shops.) (Abe we: 

Cyrano. What? 

CHRISTIAN. That little round blister ? 

Cyrano (hurriedly taking back the letter, 
and looking at it with an artless air). A 
blister ? 

CHRISTIAN. It isa tear! 

Cyrano. It looks like one, does it not { 
. . . A poet, you see, is sometimes caught 
in his own snare,—that is what constitutes 
the interest, the charm! .. . This letter, 
you must know, is very touching. In 
writing it I apparently made myself she? 
tears. 

CHRISTIAN. Shed tears?... 

CYRANO. Yes, because... well, todix 
is not terrible at all . . . but never to see hes 
again, ... never! ... that, you know, 

174 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


is horrible beyond all thinking. . . . And, 
things having taken the turn they have, I 
shall not see her . . . (CHRISTIAN looks at 
him) we shall not see her... (Hastily) 
you willnot seeher... . 

CHRISTIAN (snatching the letter from him). 
Give me the letter ! 

(Noise in the distance.) 

VOICE OF A SENTINEL. Ventrebieu, whe 
goes there ? 

(Shots. Noise of voices, tinkling of 
bells.) 

CaRBON. What is it ? 

THE SENTINEL (on the top of the bank). 
A coach ! 

(All run to see.) 

(Noisy exclamations.) What ?—In the 
camp ?—It is driving into the camp !—It 
comes from the direction of the enemy ! 
The devil! Fireuponit !—No! thecoach- 
man is shouting something !—What does 
he say ?—He shouts : Service of the King! 

DE GuicHE. What? Service of the 
King ? 

(All come down from the bank and fall 
into order.) 

CARBON. Hats off, all! 

DE GUICHE (at the corner). Service of 
the King! Stand back, low rabble, and 


175 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


give it room to turn around with a hand: 
some sweep ! 

(The coach comes in at a trot. It is 
covered with mud and dust. The cure 
tains are drawn. Two lackeys behind. 
it comes to a standstill.) 

CARBON (shouting). Salute! 

(Drums roll. All the CADETS uncover.) 

Dr GuicHE. Let down the steps! 

(Two men hurry forward. The coach 
door opens.) 

ROXANE (stepping from the carriage). 
Good-morning ! 

(At the sound of a feminine voice, all 
the men, in the act of bowing low, straight- 
en themselves. Consternation.) 

DE GUICHE. Service ofthe King! You? 

Roxane. Oftheonly King! . . of Love! 

Cyrano. Ah, great God ! 

CHRISTIAN (rushing to her). You} 
Why are you here ? 

RoxANE. This siege lasted too long ! 

CHRISTIAN. Why have you come ? 

Roxane. I will tell you ! 

CyRANO (who at the sound of her voice 
has started, then stood motionless without 
venturing to look her way). God!.., 
gan I trust myself to look at her ? 

176 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Dr GuicHEe. You cannot remain here. 

RoxaNgE. But I can,—I can, indeed! 
Will you favor me with a drum? (She 
seats herself upon a drum brought forward 
for her.) There! I thank you! (She 
laughs.) They fired upon my carriage. 
(Proudly.) A patrol!—It does look rather 
as if it were made out of a pumpkin, does 
it not? like Cinderella’s coach! and the 
footmen made out of rats! (Blowing a kiss 
to CHRISTIAN.) How do youdo? (Looking 
at them all.) You do not look overjoyed ! 
.. . Arras is a long way from Paris, dv 
you knowit? (Catching sight of CYRANO.) 
Cousin, delighted ! 

CYRANO (coming toward her). But how 
did you... ? 

RoxaNnE. How did I find the army? 
Dear me, cousin, that was simple: I fol- 
lowed straight along the line of devasta- 
tion. . . . Ah, I should never have be 
lieved in such horrors had I not seen them ! 
Gentlemen, if that is the service of your 
King, I like mine better ! 

Cyrano. But this is mgad!... By 
what way did you come ? 

Roxane. Way?... Id ~ve through 
the Spaniards’ camp. 


12 177 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


First Caper. Ah, what will keep lovely 
woman from her way ! 

DE GuicHE. But how did you contrive 
to get through their lines ? 

Le Bret. That must have been diffi. 
Calg ps tess 

Roxane. No,notvery. Isimply drove 
through them, in my coach, at a trot. If 
a hidalgo, with arrogant front, showed 
likely to stop us, I put my face at the 
window, wearing my sweetest smile, and, 
those gentlemen being,—let the French not 
grudge my saying so !—the most gallant 


in the world, . . . I passed ! 
CaRBON. Such a smile is a passport, 
certainly !. . . But you must have been 


not unfrequently bidden to stand and de- 
liver where you were going ? 

Roxane. Not unfrequently, you are 
right. Whereupon I would say, ‘‘I am 
going to see my lover!” At once, the 
fiercest looking Spaniard of them all would 
gravely close my carriage door ; and, with 
a gesture the King might emulate, motion 
aside the musket-barrels levelled at me; 
and, superb at once for grace and haughti- 
ness, bringing his spurs together, and lift 
ing his plumed hat, bow low and say 
‘* Pass, senorita, pass !” 

178 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


CHRISTIAN. But, Roxane... 

Roxane. I said, ‘‘ My lover /” yes, for 
give me!—You see, if [had said, ‘‘ My hus: 
ovand !” they would never have let me by ! 

CHRISTIAN. But... 

Roxane. What troubles you ? 

DE GUICHE. You must leave at once 

Roxane. I? 

Cyrano. At once! 

Le Bret. As fast as you can. 

CHRISTIAN. Yes, you must. 

Roxane. But why ? 

CHRISTIAN (embarrassed). Because... 

Cyrano (embarrassed too). In three 
yuarters ofan hour... 

DE GUICHE (the same). Oranhour... 

CARBON (the same). You had much 
letter... 


LE BRET (the same). Youmight... 

Roxane. Ishallremain. Youare going 
io fight. 

ann) ‘Oh; nol... No! 


RoxaNnE. He is my husband! (She 
fhrows herself in CHRISTIAN’S arms.) Let 
me be killed with you ! 

CHRISTIAN. How youreyes shine ! 

ROXANE. I will tell you why they shine! 

DE GUICHE (desperately). It is a post of 
horrible probabilities ! 

179 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Roxane (turning toward him). What 
of horrible? ... 

Cyrano. In proof of which he appointed 
us to ttt.) 

Roxane. Ah, you wish me made a 
widow ? 

DE GUICHE. I swear to you... 

Roxane. No! Now I have lost all re: 
gard. ... NowIwillsurely notgo.... 
Besides, I think it fun ! 

CyRANO. What? The précieuse con- 
tained a heroine ? 

RoxaANE. Monsieur de Bergerac, lama 
cousin of yours ! 

ONE OF THE CADETS. Never think but 
that we will take good care of you ! 

ROXANE (more and more excited). I am 
sure you will, my friends ! 

OTHER CADET. The whole camp smells 
of iris ! 

RoxaNnE. By good fortune I put on a hat 
that will look well in battle! (Glancing 
toward Dr GUICHE.) But perhaps it is 
time the Count should go.—The battle 
might begin. 

De GuicHE. Ah, itisintolerable !—Iam 
going to inspect my guns, and coming back, 
—You still have time: think better of it} 

Roxane. Never ! 

180 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


(Exit DE GUICHE). 

CHRISTIAN (imploring). Roxane? 

Roxane. NO! 

First CapET. Sheis going to stay ! 

ALL (hurrying about, pushing one an 
other, snatching things from one another) 
A comb !—Soap !—My jacket is torn, a 
needle!—A ribbon !—Lend me your pocket 
mirror !—My cuffs !— Curling-irons !—A 
razor ! 

ROXANE (to CYRANO, who is still pleading 
with her). No! Nothing shall prevail 
upon me to stir from this spot ! 

CaRBON (after having, like the others, 
tightened his belt, dusted himself, brushed 
his hat, straightened his feather, pulled 
down his cuffs, approaches ROXANE, and 
ceremoniously). It is, perhaps, proper, 
since you are going to stay, that I should 
present to you a few of the gentlemen about 
to have the honor of dying in your pres- 
ence... (ROXANE bows, and stands wait- 
ing, with her arm through CHRISTIAN’S.) 
Baron Peyrescous de Colignac ! 

THE CADET (Bowing). Madame! 

CARBON (continuing to present the 
CADETS) Baron de Casterac de Cahuzac, 
—Vidame de Malgouyre Estressac Less 
bas d’Escarabiot,—Chevalier d’Antignac- 

181 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Juzet,—Baron Hillot de Blagnac-Saléchas 
de Castel Crabioules .. . 

RoxaNE. But how many names have 
you apiece ? 

Baron Hittot. Innumerable! 

CarRBoN (to ROXANE). Open your hand 
with the handkerchief! 

RoxANE (opens her hand; the handker- 
chief drops). Why ? 

(The whole company starts forward to 
pick it up). 

Carson (instantly catching it). My 
company had no flag! Now, my word, 
it will have the prettiest one in the 
army ! 

RoxANE (smiling). It is rather small! 

CarBon (fastening the handkerchief on 
the staff of his captain’s spear). But it is 
lace! 

ONE OF THE CapETs (to the others). I 
could die without amurmur, having looked 
upon that beautiful face, if I had somuch > 
as a walnut inside me!... 

CARBON (who has overheard, indignant), 
Shame! ... to talk of food when an ex- 
quisite woman . 

Roxane. But the air of the camp is 
searching, and I myself am hungry: 
Patties, jellied meat, light wine.. . aré 

182 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


what I should like best! Will you kindly 
bring me some ? 

( Consternation). 

ONE OF THE CADETS. Bring you some ? 

OTHER CADET. And where, great God, 
shall we get them ? 

ROXANE (quietly). In my coach. 

ALL. What? 

RoxaNE. Butthere is much to be done, 
carving and boning and serving. Look 
more closely at my coachman, gentlemen, 
and you will recognize a precious individ- 
ual: the sauces, if we wish, can be warmed 
over... 

THE CADETS (springing toward the coach). 
It is Ragueneau! (Cheers.) Oh! Oh! 

ROXANE (watching them). Poor fellows! 

Cyrano (kissing herhand). Kind fairyt 

RAGUENEAU (standing upon the box-seat 
like a vendor at a public fair). Gentle 
men! 

(Enthusiasm). 

THE CADETS. Bravo! Bravo! 

RAGUENEAU. Howshould the Spaniards, 
when so much beauty passed, suspect the 
repast ? 

(Applause.) 

CyYRANO (low to CHRISTIAN). Hm! Hmt 
Christian ! 

183 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


RacuEeneau. Absorbed in gallantry, 
no heed took they . . . (hetakesadish from 
the box-seat). . . of galantine ! 

(Applause. The galantine is passed 
from hand to hand.) 

Cyrano (low to CHRISTIAN). A word 
with you... 

RAGUENEAU. Venus kept their eyes fixed 
upon herself, while Diana slipped past with 
the . .. (he brandishes a joint) game! 

(Enthusiasm. The joint is seized by 
twenty hands at once.) 

Cyrano (low to CHRISTIAN). I must 
speak with you. 

RoxaNE (to the CaDETS who come for. 
ward, their arms full of provisions). 
Spread it all upon the ground ! 

(Assisted by the two imperturbable foot- 
men who were on the back of the coach, she 
arranges everything on the grass.) 

RoxANE (to CHRISTIAN whom CYRANO 7a 
trying to draw aside). Make yourself 
useful, sir ! 

(CHRISTIAN comes and helps her. Cy- 
RANO gives evidence of wneasiness.) 

RaGuENEAU. A truffled peacock ! 

First CaDET (radiant, comes forwara 
cutting off a large slice of ham). Praise 
the pigs, we shall not go te our last fight 

184 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


with nothing inourb . . . (correcting him. 
self at sight of RoxaNE) hm. . . stomachs! 

RAGUENEAU (flinging the carriage cush- 
ions). The cushions are stuffed with 
snipe ! 

(Tumult. The cushions are ripped open. 
Laughter. Joy.) 

RAGUENEAU (flinging bottles of red wine). 
Molten ruby! (Bottles of white wine.) 
Fluid topaz ! 

RoxaANnE (throwing a folded tablecloth to 
Cyrano). Unfold the cloth: Hey!... 
be nimble ! 

RAGUENEAU (waving one of the coach 
lanterns). Each lantern is a little larder! 

CYRANO (low to CHRISTIAN, while together 
they spread the cloth). I must speak with 
you before you speak with her... 

RAGUENEAU. The handle of my whip, 
behold, is a sausage! 

ROXANE (pouring wine, dispensing it). 
Since we are the ones to be killed, morbleuw, 
we will not fret ourselves about the rest of 
the army! Everything for the Gascons ! 
... And if De Guiche comes, nobody 
must invite him! (Going from one to thé 
other.) Gently ! Youhavetime... You 
must not eat so fast! There, drink. 
What are you crying about ? 

185 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


First CapDgetT. It is too good! 

Roxane. Hush! White wine or red t= 
Bread for Monsieur de Carbon !—A knife! 
—Pass your plate !—You prefer crust ?— 
—A little more?—Let me help you.— 
Champagne ?—A wing ?— 

CYRANO (following ROXANE, his hands 
full of dishes, helping her). I adore 
her ! 

ROXANE (going to CHRISTIAN). What 
will you take ? 

CHRISTIAN. Nothing! 

RoxaNE. Oh, but you must take some- 
thing! This biscuit—in a little Muscatel 
—just a little ? 

CHRISTIAN (trying to keep her from going). 
Tell me what made you come ? 

RoxaNE. I owe myself to those poor 
fellows .... Be patient, ... By and 
Dy ais 

Le Bret (who had gone toward the back 
to pass a loaf of bread on the end of a pike 
to the SENTINEL upon the earthwork). De 
Guiche ! 

Cyrano. Presto ! Vanish basket, flagon, 
platter and pan! Hurry! Let us look 
as if nothing were! (To RAGUENEAU.) 
Take a flying leap on to your box !—Is 
everything hidden ? 

186 





Cyrano de Bergerac. 


(In a wink, all the eatables have been 
pushed into the tents, or hidden under 
clothes, cloaks, hats. Enter DE GuICHE, 
hurriedly ; he stops short, sniffing the 
air. Silence.) 

Dre GuicHe. What a good smell ! 

ONE OF THE CADETS (singing, with effect 
of mental abstraction). Tolololo.... 

Dr GUICHE (stopping and looking at him 
closely). What is the matter with you— 
you, there? You are red as acrab. 

THECaper I[? Nothing... Itisjust 
my hlood.. . Wesrre going to fight: it 
tells... 

Orare Caper. Poom... poom... 
paond © .... 

DE GUICHE (turning). What is this ? 

THE Caper (slightly intoxicated). 
Nothing .. Asong... justalittle song. 

De GuicHE. You look in good spirits, 
my boy ! 

THe CapET. Danger affects me that 
way! 

Dk GUICHE (calling CARBON DE CasTEL- 
JALOUX to giveanorder). Captain,I... 
(He stops at sight of his face.) Peste! You 
look in good spirits, too. 

CarBoN (flushed, holding a bottle behind 
him; with an evasive gesture). Oh!... 

187 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


DrE GuicHE. I had acannon left over, 
which I have ordered them to place (he 
points in the wing) there, in that corner, 
and which your men can use, if neces- 
BALY ssa) 

ONE OF THE CADETS (swaying from one 
foot to the other). Charming attention ! 

OTHER CADET (smiling sugarily). Our 
thanks for your gracious thoughtful- 
ness ! 

Dr GuicHE. Have they gone mad? 
. . . (Drily.) Asyou are not accustomed 
to handling a cannon, look out for itg 
kicking... 

First Capet. Ah, pfft!... 

DE GUICHE (going toward him, furious), 
Bubs.) 3 
THE Capret. A cannon knows better than 
to kick a Gascon ! 

DE GUICHE (seizing him by the arm and 
shaking him). You. are all tipsy: on 
what ? 

THE CaDET (magnificently). The smell 
of powder ! 

DE GUICHE (shrugs his shoulders, pushes 
aside the CaDET, and goes rapidly toward 
RoxaNE). Quick, Madame! what have 
you condescended to decide ? 

Roxane. I remain. 

188 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


DeGuicHe. Retire, I beseech you! 

Roxane. No. 

Dr Guicue. If youare determined, then 
.. . Let me havea musket ! 

CaRBoN. What do you mean ? 

DE GuicHE. I, too, will remain. 

Cyrano. At last, Monsieur, an instance 
of pure and simple bravery ! 

First CaDET. Might you be a Gascon, 
lace collar notwithstanding ? 

DE GuICHE Ido not leave a woman in 
danger. 

SECOND CADET (fo First CADET)). Look 
here ! I think he might be given some: 
fhing to eat | 

(All the food reappears, as if by magic.) 

DE GUICHE (his eyes brightening). Pros 
“sions ? 

THIRD CADET. Under every waistcoat ! 

DE GUICHE (mastering himself, haugh- 
yily). Doyou imagine that I will eat your 
leavings ? 

Cyrano (bowing). You are improving ! 

DE GUICHE (proudly, falling at the last 
af the sentence into a slightly Gascon 
Gccent). I will fight before I eat ! 

First CADET (exultant). Fight! Eat\ 

. . He spoke with an accent ! 

DE GUICHE (laughing). I did? 

189 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


THE CapET. He is one of us! 

(All fall to dancing.) 

CARBON (who a moment before disapx 
peared behind the earthworks, reappearing 
at the top). Ihave placed my pikemen, 
They are a determined troop... 

(He points at a line of pikes projecting 
above the bank). 

DE GUICHE (to ROXANE, bowing). Will you 
accept my hand and pass them in review { 

(She takes his hand ; they gotoward the 
bank. Every one uncovers and follows.) 

CHRISTIAN (going to CyRANO, quickly). 
Speak! Be quick ! 

(As Roxane appears at the top of the 
the bank, the pikes disappear, lowered in 
a salute, and a cheer goes up; ROXANE 
bows.) 

PIKEMEN (outside). Vivat! 

CHRISTIAN. What did you want to tel 
me ? 

Cyrano. In case Roxane... 

CHRISTIAN. Well ? 

Cyrano. Should speak to you of the 
ietters ... 

CHRISTIAN. Yes, the letters. I know! 

Cyrano. Do not commit the blunder of 
Appearing surprised... 

CHRISTIAN. At what ? 

Igo 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Cyrano. I must tell you!... It is 
quite simple, and merely comes into my 
mind to-day because I see her. You 
have... 

CHRISTIAN. Hurry! 

Cyrano. You... youhave written to 
her oftener than you suppose... 

CHRISTIAN. Oh, have I ? 

Cyrano. Yes. It wasmy business, you 
see. I had undertaken to interpret your 
passion, and sometimes I wrote without 
having told you I should write. 

CHRISTIAN. Ah ? 

Cyrano. It is very simple. 

CHRISTIAN. But how did you succeed 
since we have been so closely surrounded, 
Wiese? 

Cyrano. Oh, before daybreak I could 
cross the lines... 

CHRISTIAN (folding his arms). Ah, that 
is very simple, too? .. . And how many 
times a week have I been writing ? Twice { 
Three times? Four?... 

Cyrano. More. 

CHRISTIAN. Every day ? 

Cyrano. Yes, every day .. . twice. 

CHRISTIAN (violently). And you cared so 
much about it that you were willing te 
brave death... . 


Ig! 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


CYRANO (seeing RoxanE who returns.) 
Be still .. . Not before her! (He goes 
quickly into his tent.) 

(CADETS come and go at the back. Care 
BON and DE GUICHE give orders.) 

ROXANE (running to CHRISTIAN). And 
now, Christian... 

CHRISTIAN (taking her hands). And now, 
you shall tell me why, over these fearful 
roads, through these ranks of rough sol- 
diery, you risked your dear self to join 
me ? 

Roxane. Because of the letters! 

CHRISTIAN. The... 2? What did you 
say ? 

RoxaNE. It is through your fault that 
I have been exposed to such and so many 
dangers. It is your letters that have gone 
to my head! Ah, think how many you 
have written me in a month, each one more 
beautiful 

CHRISTIAN. What?... Because of a 
few little love letters ... 

RoxaANE. Say nothing! You cannot 
understand ! Listen: The truth is that I 
took to idolizing you one evening, when, be- 
low my window, in a voice I did not know 
before, your soul began to revealitself.... 
Think then what the effect should be of 

192 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


your letters, which have been like your 
voice heard constantly for one month, your 
voice of that evening, so tender, caressing 
. . . You must bear it as you can, I have 
come to you! Prudent Penelope would 
not have stayed at home with her eternal 
tapestry, if Ulysses, her lord, had written 
as you write . . . but, impulsive as Helen, 
have tossed aside her yarns, and flown to 
join him ! 

CHRISTIAN. But... 

Roxane. JI read them, I re-read them, 
in reading I grew faint . . . Ibecameyour 
ownindeed! Each fluttering leaf was like 
a petal of your soul wafted tome... In 
every word of those letters, love is felt as 
a flame would be felt,—love, compelling, 
sincere, profound... 

CHRISTIAN. Ah, sincere, profound?... 
You say that it can be felt, Roxane $ 

RoxaNE. He asks me! 

CHRISTIAN. And so youcame?.: ; 

Roxane. I came—oh Christian, my own, 
my master! If I were to kneel at your 
feet you would lift me, I know. It is my 
soul therefore which kneels, and never can 
you lift it from that posture!—I came to 
implore your pardon—as it is fitting, for 
We are both perhaps about tn diel—your 


13 193 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


pardon for having done you the wrong, at 
first, in my shallowness, of loving you... 
for mere looking ! 

CHRISTIAN (inalarm). Ah, Roxane!... 

Roxane. Later, dear one, grown less 
shallow—similar to a bird which flutters 
before it can fly,—your gallant exterior ap- 
pealing to me still, but your soul appealing 
equally, I loved you forboth!... 

CHRISTIAN. And now ? 

Roxane. Now at last yourself are van- 
quished by yourself: I love you for your 
soulalone... 

CHRISTIAN (drawing away). Ah, Roxane! 

RoxANE. Rejoice! For to be loved for 
that wherewith we are clothed so fleetingly 
must put a noble heart to torture... 
Your dear thought at last casts your dear 
face in shadow: the harmonious linea- 
ments whereby at first you pleased me, 
I do not see them, now my eyes are 
open! 

CHRISTIAN. Oh! 

RoxaNE. You question your own 
triumph ? 

CHRISTIAN (sorrowfully). Roxane! 

Roxane. I understand, you cannot cons 
teive of such a love in me ? 

CuRIsTIAN. I do not wish to be loved 


194 





Cyrano de Bergerac. 


fike that! I wish to be loved quite 
simply... 

Roxane. For that which other women 
till now have loved in you? Ah, let your- 
self be loved in a better way 

CurisTIAN. No... I was happier be 
fore! an 

Roxane. Ah, you do not understandi 
It is now that I love you most, that I truly 
hove you. Itis that which makes you, you 
—can you not grasp it?—that I wor- 
ship . . . And did you no longer walk our 
earth like a young martial Apollo... 

CHRISTIAN. Say no more! 

Roxane. Still would I love you!... 
Yes, though a blight should have fallen 
upon your faceandform... 

CHRISTIAN. Do not say it! 

Roxane. But Ido say it, ... Ido! 

CHRISTIAN. What? If I wereugly, dis- 
tinctly, offensively ? i 

Roxane. If you were ugly, dear, I 
swear it! 

CHRISTIAN. God! 

RoxaNE. And you are glad, profoundly 
glad ? 

CHRISTIAN (in a smothered voiced 
a 

Roxane. What is it ? 

195 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


CHRISTIAN (pushing her gently away) 
Nothing. Ihave a word or two to say 
tosome one : your leave, forasecond . .. 

Roxane. But... 

CHRISTIAN (pointing at a group of CADETS 
at the back). In my selfish love, I have 
kept you from those poor brothers. ... 
Go, smile on them a little, before they die, 
dear’. ... gol 

ROXANE (moved). Dear Christian! 

(She goes toward the GAscons at the 
back ; they respectfully gather around 
her.) 

CHRISTIAN (calling toward CyRANo’s 
tent ). Cyrano! 

CYRANO (appears, armed for battle). 
What is it? . . . How pale you are! 

CHRISTIAN. She does not love me any 
more! 

CyRANO. What do you mean ? 

CHRISTIAN. She loves you. 

Cyrano. No! 

CHRISTIAN. She only loves my soul! 

Cyrano. No! 

CuRISTIAN. Yes! Therefore it is you 
she loves . . . and you love her... 

COORANDs (Dod 

CHRISTIAN. I know it! 

Cyrano. It is true. 

196 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


CHRISTIAN. To madness! 

Cyrano. More. 

CHRISTIAN. Tell her then. 

Cyrano. No! 

CHRISTIAN. Why not ? 

Cyrano. Look at me! 

CHRISTIAN. She would love me grown 
ugly. 

Cyrano. She told you so? 

CHRISTIAN. With the utmost frankness! 

Cyrano. Ah! I am glad she should 
have told you that ! But, believe me, be- 
lieve me, place no faith in such a mad as- 
severation! Dear God, I am glad such a 
thought should have come to her, and that 
she should have spoken it,—but believe 
me, do not take her at her word: Never 
cease to be the handsome fellow you 


are... . She would not forgive me ! 
CuristiAN. That is what I wish to dis- 
cover. 


Cyrano. No! no! 

CHRISTIAN. Let her choose between us ! 
You shall tell her everything. 

Cyrano. No...No... I refuse the 
ordeal ! 

CHRISTIAN. Shall I stand in the way of 
your happiness because my outside is not 
not so much amiss ? 


197 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Cyrano. AndI? shall I destroy yours, 
because, thanks to the hazard that sets us 
upon earth, I have the gift of expressing 

. what you perhaps feel ? 
CHRISTIAN. You shall tell her every: 


thing ! 
Cyrano. Hepersistsin temptingme... 
It isa mistake . . . and cruel! 


CHRISTIAN. I am weary of carrying 
about, in my own self, a rival ! 
Cyrano, Christian ! 


CHRISTIAN. Our marriage .. . con- 
tracted without witnesses . . . can be an- 
nulled ... if we survive! 


Cyrano. Hepersists!... 

CHRISTIAN. Yes. I will be loved. for 
my sole self, or not at all !—I am going to 
see what they are about. Look! I will 
walk to the end of the line and back... 
Tell her, and let her pronounce between 
us. 

Cyrano. She _ will pronounce for 
you. 

CHRISTIAN. I can but hope she will! 
(calling) Roxane ! 

Cyrano. No! No! 

ROXANE (coming forward). What is it? 

CHRISTIAN. Cyrano has something t@ 
sell you . . . something important ! 

198 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


(ROXANE goes hurriedly to CYRANO. Exit 
CHRISTIAN.) 

RoxaNE. Something important ? 

Cyrano (distracted). Heisgone!... 
(To Roxane.) Nothing whatever! He 
attaches—but you must know him of old! 
—he attaches importance to trifles .. . 

ROXANE (quickly). He did not believe 
what I told him a moment ago?...I 
saw that he did not believe... 

Cyrano (taking her hand). But didyou 
in very truth tell him the truth ? 

Roxane. Yes. Yes. Ishould love him 
even... (She hesitates a second.) 

CyRANO (smiling sadly). You do not 
like to say it before me ? 

Roxane. But... 

Cyrano. I shall not mind!... Even 
if he were ugly ? 

Roxane. Yes... Ugly. (Musket shots 
outside.) They are firing ! 

Cyrano (ardently). Dreadfully ugly ? 

Roxane. Dreadfully. 

Cyrano. Disfigured ? 

Roxane. Disfigured ! 

Cyrano. Grotesque ? 

Roxane. Nothing could make him gro 
tesque ... tome. 

CyRANo. You would love him still ? 


133 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Roxane. I believe that I should love 
him more . . . if that were possible ! 

CyRANO (losing his head, aside). My 
God, perhaps she means it . . . perhaps it 
is true .. . and that way is happiness! 
(To Roxang.) I... Roxane... listen! 

LE BRET (comes in hurriedly; calls 
softly). Cyrano! 

CYRANO (turning). Hein? 

Le Bret. Hush! (He whispers a few 
words to CYRANO.) 

CyRANO (letting ROXANE’s hand drop, 
witha ery). (AB! ... 

Roxane. What ails you ? 

CyRANno (to himself, in consternation). 
It is finished ! 

(Musket reports.) 

Roxane. Whatis it? What is happen- 
ing? Who is firing? (She goes to the 
back to look off.) 

Cyrano. It is finished. . . . My lips 
are sealed for evermore! 

(CADETS come in, attempting to conceac 
something they carry among them; they 
surround it, preventing ROXANE’S seeing 
it.) 

Roxane. What has happened ? 

Cyrano (quickly stopping her as she 
starts toward them), Nothing! 

200 


Cyrano de Bergerac, 


RoxaNE. Thesemen?... 

CyRANO (drawing her away). Pay na 
attention to them! 

RoxaNE. But what were you about to 
say to me before ? 

Cyrano. What waslabouttosay?... 
Oh, nothing! . . . Nothing whatever, I 
assure you. (Solemnly.) I swear that 
Christian’s spirit, that his soul, were... 
(in terror, correcting himself) are the 
greatest that... 

ROXANE. Were?... (Withagreatcry., 
Ah!... (Runs to the group of CavETs, 
and thrusts them aside.) 

Cyrano. It is finished ! 

Roxane (seeing Curistian stretched out 
in his cloak). Christian! 

Le Bret (fo Cyrano). At the enemy’s 
first shot ! 

(RoxANE throws herself on CHRISTIAN’s 
body. Musket reports. Clashing of 
swords. Tramping. Drums.) 

CARBON (sword in hand). The attack! 
To your muskets! (Followed by the 
CavETs he goes to the further side of the 
earthworks.) 

Roxane. Christian! 

CaRBON’S VOICE (beyond the earthworks). 
Make haste ! 

201 


Cyrano de Bergerac, 


RoxANE. Christian! 

Carson. Fall into line! 

Roxane. Christian! 

CARBON. Measure. . . match! 

(RAGUENEAU has come running in with 
water in a steel cap.) 

CHRISTIAN (in a@ dying voice). Rox- 
ane! . 

CYRANO (quick, low in CHRISTIAN’S ear, 
while ROXANE, distracted, dips into the 
water a fragment of linen torn from her 
breast to bind his wound). I have told 
her everything! . . . You arestill the one 
she loves! 

(CHRISTIAN closes his eyes.) 

Roxane. What, dear love ? 

CaRBON. Muzzle... high! 

RoxaNE (to CyYRANO). He is not 
mead Toi: 

CARBON. Open charge . . . with teeth! 

Roxane. I feel his cheek grow cold 
2gainst my own! 

CarBon. Take aim! 

Roxane. A letter on his breast. .. , 
(She opens it.) To me! 

CYRANO (aside). My letter! 

CARBON. Fire! 

(Musket shots. Cries. Roar of battle.) 

Cyrano (trying to free his hand which 

202 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Roxane clasps kneeling). But, Roxane, 
they are fighting. 

Roxank (clinging). No! ... Stay with 
mea little! ... Heisdead. You are the 
only one that truly knew him. ... (She 
cries subduedly.) Was he not an exquisite 
being, ...an exceptional, marvellous 
being?... 

Cyrano (standing bareheaded). Yes, 
moxane. 

Roxane. A poet without his peer, ... 
one verily to reverence ? 

Cyrano. Yes, Roxane. 

Roxane. A sublime spirit ? 

Cyrano. Yes, Roxane. 

Roxane. A profound heart, such as the 
profane could never have understood. . . 
a soul as noble as it was charming?. . 

Cyrano (firmly). Yes, Roxane. 

Roxane (throwing herself on CHRISTIAN’S 
body). And he is dead! 

Cyrano (aside, drawing his sword). And 
I have now only to die, since, without 
knowing it, she mourns my death in 
his ! 

(Trumpets in the distance.) 

DE GUICHE (reappears on the top of the 
bank, bareheaded, his forehead bloody; in 
@ thundering voice). The signal they 

2°22 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


promised! The flourish of trumpets! ... 
The French are entering the camp with 
supplies! . . Stand fast a little longer ! 
Roxane. Upon his letter . . . blood, 
ods. tears! 
A VoIcE (outside, shouting). Surrender! 
VOICES OF THE CADETS. No! 
RAGUENEAU (who from the top of the 
coach is watching the battle beyond the 
bank). The conflict rages hotter! ... 
CyRANo (to DE GUICHE pointing at Rox. 
ANE). Take her away!...I am going 


to charge. 
Roxane (kissing the letter,in a dying 
voice). His blood! ... his tears ! 


RAGUENEAU (leaping from the coach 
and running to Roxane). She is faint- 
ing ! 

Dr GuiIcHE (at the top of the bank, to 
the CADETS, madly). Stand fast! 

VOICE (outside). Surrender ! 

VOICES OF THE CADETS. No! 

Cyrano (to DE GUICHE). Your courage 
none will question . . . (Pointing at Rox- 
ANE.) Fly for thesake of saving her ! 

DE GUICHE (Runs to Roxane and lifts 
her in hisarms). Sobeit! But we shak 
win the day if you can hold out a litth 
longer... 

204 





Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Cyrano. Weecan. (To Roxane, whom 
De GuicHE, helped by RAGUENEAU, 14 
carrying off insensible.) Good-bye, Rox 
ane! 

(Tumult. Cries. CADETS reappear 
wounded, and fall upon the stage. CYRANO 
dashing forward to join the combatants is 
stopped on the crest of the bank by CARBON 
covered with blood.) 

CARBON. We are losing ground... 
have got two halberd wounds... 

Cyrano (yelling tothe Gascons). Stead: 
fast! ... Never give themaninch!... 
Braveboys! (YoCargon.) Fear nothing! 
I have various deaths to avenge: Chris: 
tian’s and all my hopes’! (They come 
down. CyYRANO brandishes the spear at 
the head of which Roxanrt’s handkerchief 
is fastened.) Float free, little cobweb flag, 
embroidered with herinitials! (He drives 
the spear-staff into the earth ; shouts to the 
CADETS.) Fallonthem, boys! ... Crush 
them! (To the fifer.) Fifer, play! 

(The fifer plays. Some of the wounded 
get to their feet again. Some of the Ca- 
DETS, coming down the bank, group 
themselves around CYRANO and the little 
fag. The coach, filled and covered with 

205 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


men, bristles with muskets and becomes 4 
redoudt. ) 

ONE OF THE CADETS (appears upon the tog 
of the bank backing while he fights; he 
cries). They are coming up the slope! 
(Falls dead.) 

Cyrano. We will welcome them! 

(Above the bank suddenly rises a formt- 
dable array of enemies. The great banners 
of the Imperial Army appear.) 

CyrRANo. Fire! 

(General discharge.) 

Cry (among the hostile ranks.) Fire! 

(Shots returned. CADETS drop on every 
aide). 

A SPANISH OFFICER (taking off his hat). 
What are these men, so determined all to 
be killed ? 

Cyrano (declaiming, ashe stands in the 
midst of flying bullets.) 

They are the Gascony Cadets 

Of Carbon de Castel Jaloux ; 

Famed fighters, liars, desperates ... 

(He leaps forward, followed by a hand: 
ful of survivors.) 

They are the Gascony Cadets!... 

(The rest is lost in the confusion of bat 
fle.) 

(Curtain.) 
206 


ACT FIFTH. 
CYRANO’S GAZETTE. 


Fifteen years later, 1655. The park 
belonging to the convent of the Sisters of 
the Cross, in Paris. 

Superb shade-trees. At the left, the 
house; several doors opening on to broad 
terrace with steps. In the centre of the 
stage, huge trees standing alone in a clear 
oval space. At the right, first wing, a 
semicircular stone seat, surrounded by 
large box-trees. 

All along the back of the stage, an avenue 
of chestnut-trees, which leads, at the right, 
fourth wing, to the door of a chapel seen 
through trees. Through the double row 
of trees overarching the avenue are seen 
lawns, other avenues, clumps of trees, the 
further recesses of the park, the sky. 

The chapel opens by a small side-door 
into a colonnade, overrun by a scarlet 
creeper; the colonnade comes forward and 

207 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


is lost to sight behind the box-trees at the 
right. 

It is Autumn. The leaves are turning, 
above the still fresh grass. Dark patches 
of evergreens, box and yew. Under eacr 
tree a mat of yellow leaves. Fallen leaves 
litter the whole stage, crackle underfoct, 
lie thick on the terrace and the seats. 

Between the seat at the right and tne 
tree in the centre, a large embroidery 
frame, in front of which a small chair. 
Baskets full of wools, in skeins and balls. 
On the frame, a piece of tapestry, partly 
done. 

At the rise of the curtain, nuns come 
and go in the park; a few are seated on 
the stone seat around an older nun; 
leaves are falling. 

SistER MartHA (to MoTHER MARGARET). 
Sister Claire, after putting on her cap 
went back to the mirror, to see herself. 
again. 

MotTHEeR MARGARET (to SISTER CLAIRE). 
It was unbecoming, my child. 

SisteR CLAIRE. But Sister Martha, to- 
day, after finishing her portion, went back 
to the tart for a plum. Isaw her! 

MoTHER MARGARET (to SISTER MARTHA). 
My child, it was ill done. 

208 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


SistER CLAIRE. I merely glanced! ... 

SIsTER MartTHa. The plum was abouts¢ 
Biget:s «.. 

MoTHER MARGARET. Thisevening, when 
Monsieur Cyrano comes, I will tell him. 

SisteER CLAIRE (alarmed). No! He will 
laugh at us! 

SisteR MarTHA. He will say that nuns 
are very vain! 

SisTER CLAIRE. And very greedy! 

MoTHER MarGarReT. And really very 
good. 


SisteR CLAIRE. Mother Margaret, is it 7a 


not true that he has come here every 
Saturday in the last ten years ? 

MoTHER MARGARET. Longer! Ever since 
his cousin brought among our linen coifs 
her coif of crape, the worldly symbol of 
her mourning, which settled like a sable 
bird amidst our flock of white some four 
teen years ago. 

SisteR MartTHa. He alone, since she 
took her abode in our cloister, has art to 
dispel her never-lessening sorrow. 

ALL THE Nuns. He is so droll!—It is 
merry when he comes!-—He teases us!— 
He is delightful!—We are greatly attached 
to him!—We are making Angelica paste 
to offer him! 

209 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


SisteR MartHa. He is not, however, a 
very good Catholic! 

SISTER CLAIRE. We will convert him. 

THE Nuns. Wewill! We will! 

MotTHerR MArGARET. I forbid your re: 
newing that attempt, my children. De 
not trouble him: he might not come s¢ 
often! 

SISTER MaRTHA. But... God! 

MoTHER MARGARET. Set your hearts at 
rest : God must know him of old! 

SISTER MarTHA. But every Saturday, 
when he comes, he says to meas soon aa 
he sees me, ‘‘Sister, I ate meat, yester- 


day !” 
MoTHER MARGARET. Ah, thatis what he 
says? ... Well, when he last said it, he 


had eaten nothing for two days. 

SISTER MartTHA. Mother! 

MoTHER MARGARET. He is poor. 

SistER MartHa. Who told you ? 

MoTHER MARGARET. Monsieur Le Pret. 

SisteER MartTHa. Does no one offer him 
assistance ? 

MoTHER MARGARET. No, he would take 
offence. 

(In one of the avenues at the back, appears 
Roxane, in black, wearing a widow's corp 
and long mourning veil; DE GUICH® 

210 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


markedly older, magnificently dressed, 
walks beside her. They go very slowly. 
MorHER MARGARET gets wp.) 

MoTHER MARGARET. Come, we must go 
within. Madame Magdeleine is walking 
in the park with a visitor. 

SISTER MARTHA (low to SISTER CLAIRE.) Is 
not that the Marshal-duke de Grammont ? 

SISTER CLAIRE (looking). I think it 
is ! 

SisteR MarTHA. He has not been to see 
her in many months ! 

THE Nuns. He is much engaged !—The 
Court !—The Camp !— 

SISTER CLAIRE. Cares of this world ! 

(Fzeunt. DE GuicHE and ROXANE 
come forward silently, and stop near the 
embroidery frame. A pause.) 

DE GUuICHE. And so you live here, use 
lessly fair, always in mourning ? 

Roxane. Always. 

Dr GuicHE. As faithful as of old ? 

Roxane. As faithful. 

DE GUICHE (after a time). Have vou 
forgiven me ? 

RoxaNE. Since I am here. 

(Other silence.) 

Dr GuicHE, And he was really sucha 
rare being ? 

258 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


RoxANE. To understand, one must 
have known him ! 

DE GUICHE. Ah, one must have known 
him! .... Perhaps I did not know him 
well enough. And his last letter, still and 
always, against your heart ? 

RoxaNE. I wear it on this velvet, asa 
more holy scapular. 

DE GuicHE. Even dead, you love him ? 

Roxane. It seems to me sometimes he 
is but half dead, that our hearts have not 
been severed, that his love still wraps me 
round, no less than ever living ! 

DE GUICHE (after another silence). Does 
Cyrano come here to see you ? 

Roxane. Yes, often. That faithful 
friend fulfils by me the office of gazette. 
His visits are regular. He comes: when 
the weather is fine, his armchair is brought 
out under the trees. I wait for him here 
with my work ; the hour strikes ; on the 
last stroke, I hear—I do not even turn to 
see who comes !—his cane upon the steps ; 
he takes his seat; he rallies me upon my 
never-ending tapestry ; he tells off the 
events of the week, and . . . (LE BRETap: 
pears on the steps) Ah, Le Bret! (LE 
Bret comes down the steps)! How does 
your friend ? 

212 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Le Bret. IIl. 

THE DUKE. Oh! 

Roxane. He exaggerates!... 

LE Bret. All is come to pass as I fore: 
told : neglect ! poverty ! his writings ever 
breeding him new enemies! Fraud he 
attacks in every embodiment: usurpers, 
pious pretenders, plagiarists, asses in 
lions’ skins . . . all! He attacks all! 

Roxane. No one, however, but stands in 
profound respect of his sword. They will 
never succeed in silencing him. 

DE GUICHE (shaking his head). Who 
knows ? 

Le Bret. What I fear is not the ag- 
gression of man ; what I fear is loneliness 
and want and winter creeping upon him 
like stealthy wolves in his miserable attic ; 
they are the insidious foes that will have 
him by the throat atlast!... Every day 
he tightens his belt by an eyelet ; his poor 
great nose is pinched, and turned the sal- 
low of old ivory ; the worn black serge you 
see him in is the only coat he has ! 

Dr GuicHe. Ah, there is one who did 
not succeed! ... Nevertheless, do not 
pity him too much. 

Le Bret (with a bitter smile). Mar 
wall... 

213 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


DE GuicHE. Donot pity him too much: 
he signed no bonds with the world ; hehag 
lived free in his thought as in his actions. 

LE BRET (as above). Duke... 

DE GUICHE (haughtily). I know, yes: I 
have everything, he has nothing... . 
But I should like to shake hands with him, 
(Bowing to ROXANE.) Good-bye. 

Roxane. I will go with you to the door. 

(DE GUICHE bows to LE BRET and goes 
with Roxane toward the terrace steps.) 

DE GUICHE (stopping, while she goes up 
the steps). Yes, sometimes I envy him. 
You see, when a man has succeeded too 
well in life, he is not unlikely to feel—dear 
me! without having committed any very 
serious wrong!—a multitudinous disgust 
of himself, the sum of which does not con- 
stitute a real remorse, but an obscure un- 
easiness ; and a ducal mantle, while it 
sweeps up the stairs of greatness, may trail 
in its furry lining arustling of sere illusions 
and regrets, as, when you slowly climb to- 
ward those doors, your black gown trails 
the withered leaves. 

ROXANE (ironical). Are you not un- 
usually pensive? ... 

DE GuicHE. Ah, yes! (As hevis about 
to leave, abruptly.) Monsieur Le Bret! 

214 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


(To Roxane.) Will you allow me? A 
word. (He goes to LE BRET, and lowering 
his voice.) It is true that no one will dare 
overtly to attack your friend, but many 
have him in particular disrelish ; and 
some one was saying to me yesterday, at 
the Queen’s, ‘‘It seems not unlikely that 
this Cyrano will meet with an accident.” 

be err: Ab? .. . 

DE GuicHE. Yes. Let him keep in. 
doors. Let him be cautious. 

Le Bret (lifting his arms toware 


Heaven). Cautious! ... He is coming 
here. I will warn him. Warnhim!... 
Wee-but;:. . 


ROXANE (who has been standing at the 
head of the steps, toa nun who comes to- 
ward her), What is it ? 

THE Nun. Ragueneau begs to see you, 
Madame. 

Roxane. Let him come in. (Jo D~ 
GUICHE and LE BRET.) He comes to plead 
dstress. Having determined one day ta 
be an author, he became in turn precem 
BAIA a 
LE Bret. Bath-house keeper... 
Roxane. Actor... 

LE Bret. Beadle... 
Roxane Barber... 
215 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Le Bret. Arch-lute teacher ... 

Roxane. I wonder what he is now! 

RAGUENEAU- (entering precipitately). 
Ah, Madame! (He sees LE Bret.) Mon 
sieur! 

ROXANE (smiling). Begin telling your mis 
fortunes to Le Bret. I am coming back. 

RAGUENEAU. But, Madame... 

(RoxANE leaves without listening, with 
¢éhe DUKE. RAGUENEAU goes to LE BRET). 

RAGUENEAU. Itis better so. Since you 
are here, I had liefer not tell her! Less 
than half an hour ago, I was going to see 
your friend. I was not thirty feet from 
his door, when I saw him come out. I 
hurried to catch up with him. He was 
about to turnthecorner. Istarted to run, 
when from a window below which he was 
passing—was it pure mischance? It may 
have been!—a lackey drops a block of 
wood... 

Le Bret. Ah, the cowards!.. 
Cyrano! 

RAGUENEAU. I reach the spot, and find 
ay. 24 

LE Bret. Horrible! 

RAGUENEAU. Our friend, Monsieur, out 
poet, stretched upon the ground, with a 
great hole in his head! 


216 


Cyrano de Bergerae, 


Le Bret. He is dead ? 

RAGUENEAU. No, but... God have 
mercy ! Icarried him to his lodging... , 
Ah, his lodging! You should see that 
todging of his ! 

Le Bret. Is he in pain ? 

RAGUENEAU. No, Monsieur, he is uncon 


BCiOUS. 
Le Bret. Has a doctor seen him ? 
RAGUENEAU. One came... out of 


good nature. 

LE Bret. My poor, poor Cyrano!... 
We must not tell Roxane outright. And 
the doctor? ... 

RAGUENEAU. He talked... I hardly 
grasped ...of fever... cerebral in 
flammation ! Ah, if you should see him, 
with his head done upin cloths! .. . Let 
us hurry ... No one is there to tend 
him ... And hemight die if he attempted 
to get up ! 

LE Bret (dragging RAGUENEAU off at the 
right). This way. Come, it is shorter 
through the chapel. 

ROXANE (appearing at the head of the 
steps, catching sight of LE Bret hurrying 
off through the colonnade which leads to the 
chapel side-door). Monsieur Le Bret! (LE 
BRET and RAGUENEAU make their escapé 

217 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


without answering.) Le Bret not turning 
back when he is called? . . . Poor Rague- 
neau must be in some new trouble! (She 
comes down the steps.) How beautiful... 
how beautiful, this golden-hazy waning 
day of September atits wane! My sorrow: 
ful mood, which the exuberant gladness of 
April offends, Autumn, the dreamy and 
subdued, lures on to smile . .. (She sits 
down at her embroidery frame. Two Nuns 
come from the house bringing a large arm- 
chair which they place under the tree.) Ah, 
here comes the classic armchair in which 
my old friend always sits ! 

SISTER MARTHA. The best in the convent 
parlor ! 

Roxane. I thank you, sister. (The 
nuns withdraw.) He will be here in a mo- 
ment. (She adjusts the embroidery frame 
before her.) There! The clock is strike 
ing... My wools!... The clock has 
struck? . . . I wonder at this! .. . Is it 
possible that for the first time he is late ? 
. - . It must be that the sister who keeps the 
door... my thimble? ah, hereitis!.., 
is detaining him to exhort him to repent- 
ance... (A pause.) She exhorts him at 
some length! ... He cannot be much 
longer... A withered leaf! (She brushes 

218 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


away the dead leaf which has dropped on 
the embroidery.) Surely nothing could 
keep ... My scissors? . . . in my work- 
bay! . . . could keep him from coming ! 

A Nun (appearing at the head of the 
steps). Monsieur de Bergerac ! 

RoxANE (without turning round.) What 
wasIsaying?. .. (She begins to embroider. 
CYRANO appears, exceedingly pale, his hat 
drawn down over his eyes. The NUN who 
has shown him into the garden, withdraws. 
He comes down the steps very slowly, with 
evident difficulty to keep on his feet, lean- 
ing heavily on his cane. ROXANE proceeds 
with her sewing.) Ah, these dull soft 
shades! . . HowshallI matchthem? (To 
Cyrano, in a tone of friendly chiding.) 
After fourteen years, for the first time you 
are late ! 

Cyrano (who has reached the armchair 
and seated himself, in a jolly voice which 
contrasts with his face.) Yes, it seems 
incredible! I am savage at it. I was 
detained, spite of allI coulddo!... 

foxanm. By?.... 

Cyrano- A somewhat inopportune 
all. 

RoxaNnE (absent-minded, sewing). Anh, 
yes ... some troublesome fellow ! 

219 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Cyrano. Cousin, it was a troublesome 
Madam. 

RoxANE. You excused yourself ? 

Cyrano. Yes. I said, ‘‘ Your pardon, 
but this is Saturday, on which day I am 
due in certain dwelling. On no account 
do I ever fail. Come back inan hour!” 

Roxane (lightly). Well, she will have 
to wait some time to see you. I shall not 
let you go before evening. 

Cyrano. Perhaps... I shall have to 
go alittle earlier. (He closes his eyes and 
is silent a moment.) 

(SISTER MARTHA 7s seen crossing the park 
from the chapel to the terrace. ROXANE 
sees her and beckons to her by a slight mo- 
tion of her head.) 

ROXANE (toCYRANO). Are you not going 
to tease Sister Martha to-day ? 

CYRANO (quickly, opening his eyes). | 
am indeed! (Jn a comically gruff voice.) 
Sister Martha, come nearer! (Zhe NUN 
demurely comes toward him.) Ha! ha! ha! 
Beautiful eyes, ever studying the ground! 

SisteR MartTuHa (lifting her eyes and 
smiling). But... (Sheseeshisfaceand 
makes a gesture of surprise). Oh! 

CYRANO (low, pointing at ROXANE). 
Bush!... It is nothing! (dn @ .swag- 

220 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


gering voice, aloud.) Yesterday, I ate 
meat! 

SisteR MartHa. I am sure you did! 
(Aside.) That is why he is so pale! 
(Quickly, low.) Come to the refectory pres- 
ently. I shall have ready for you there 
a good bowl of broth . . . You will come! 

Cyrano. Yes, yes, yes. 

SisteER MartTHa. Ah, you are more 
reasonable to-day! 

ROXANE (hearing them whisper). She is 
trying to convert you ? 

SisteER MartHa. Indeed I am not! 

Cyrano. It is true, you, usually almost 
discursive in the holy cause, are reading 
me no sermon! You amaze me! (With 
comical fury.) I will amaze you, too: 
Listen, you are authorized . . . (With the 
air of casting about in his mind, and find- 
ing the jest he wants.) Ah, now I shall 
amaze you! to... pray forme, this even- 
ing . . . in the chapel. 

Roxane. Oh! oh! 

Cyrano (laughing). Sister Martha... 
fost in amazement ! 

SisteR Marra (gently). Idid not wait 
for your authorization. (She goes in.) 

Cyrano (turning to ROXANE, who is bend: 
ing over her embroidery). The devil, 

221 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


hapestry .. . the devil, if I hope tolive te 
pee the end of you! 

RoxaNE. I was waiting for that jest. 

(A slight gust of wind makes the leaves 
Fall.) 

CyrRANO. The leaves! 

RoxaNnE (looking up from her work and 
gazing off toward the avenues). They 
are the russet gold of a Venetian beauty’a 
hair . . . Watch them fall! 

Cyrano. How consummately they de 
it! In that brief fluttering from bough to 
ground, how they contrive still to put 
beauty! And though foredoomed to 
moulder upon the earth that draws them, 
they wish their fall invested with the grace 
of a free bird’s flight ! 

ROXANE. Serious, you ? 

CyRANO (remembering himself). Not at 
all, Roxane !> 

RoxANE. Come, never mind the falling 
leaves! Tell me the news, instead... 
Where is my budget ? 

Cyrano. Hereit is! 

Roxane. Ah! 

CYRANO (growing pater and paler, and 
struggling with pain). Saturday, the nine- 
teenth: The king having filled his dish 
eight times with Cette preserves, and 

222 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


emptied it, was taken with a fever ; his 
distemper, for high treason, was con- 
demned to be let blood, and now the royal 
pulse is rid of febriculosity !_ On Sunday: 
at the Queen’s great ball, were burned 
seven hundred and_ sixty-three wax 
candles ; our troops, it is said, defeated 
Austrian John; four sorcerers were 
hanged ; Madame Athis’s little dog had a 
distressiug turn, the case called fora... 

RoxaNE. Monsieur de Bergerac, leave 
out the little dog ! 

Cyrano. Monday,.. . nothing, ornext 
to it : Lygdamire took a fresh lover. 

Roxane. Oh! 

CYRANO (over whose face is coming @ 
ehange moreand more marked). Tuesday : 
the whole Court assembled at Fontaine- 
bleau. Wednesday, the fair Monglat said 
to Count Fiesco ‘‘No!” Thursday, Man- 
cini, Queen of France, . . . or little less. 
Twenty-fifth, the fair Monglat said to 
Count Fiesco ‘‘ Yes!” And Saturday, the 
twenty-sixth... (He closes his eyes. 
His head drops on his breast. Silence.) 

ROXANE (surprised at hearing nothing 
further, turns, looks at him and starts to 
her feet inalarm). Has he fainted? (She 
runs to him, calling.) Cyrano! 

223 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


CYRANO (opening his eyes, in a faint 
voice). What is it?... What is the 
matter! (He sees ROXANE bending over 
him, hurriedly readjusts his hat, pulling tt 
more closely over his head, and shrinks 
back in his armchair in terror). No!no! 
I assure you, it is nothing! ... Do not 
mind me! 

Roxane. Butsurely ... 

CyRANO. It is merely the wound I re- 
ceived at Arras . . . Sometimes . . . you 
know ...evennow... 

RoxaNE. Poor friend! 

Cyrano. But itis nothing .. . It will 
pass... (He smiles with effort). It has 
passed. 

ROXANE. Each one of us has his wound: 
{[ too have mine. It is here, never to hea, 
that ancient wound . . . (She places her 
hand on her breast.) It is here, beneath 
the yellowing letter on which are still 
faintly visible tear-drops and drops of 
blood! 

(The light is beginning to grow less). 

CyrRANo. His letter? ... Did you not 
once say that some day ... you might 
show it to me? 

RoxanE. Ah!...Doyou wish?... 
His letter ? 

224 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Cyrano. Yes... to-day... I wish 
re 
RoxaNE (handing him the little bag from 
her neck). Here! 

Cyrano. I may open it? 

Roxane. Open it .. . read! (She goes 
back to her embroidery frame, folds it up, 
orders her wools.) 

Cyrano. ‘‘Good-bye, Roxane! I am 
going to die:” 

Roxane (stopping in astonishment). 
You are reading it aloud ? 

Cyrano (reading). ‘‘It is fated to come 
this evening, beloved, I believe! My soul 
is heavy, oppressed with love it had not 
time to utter... and now Time is at 
end! Never again, never again shall my 
worshippingeyes .. .” 

Roxane. How strangely you read hit 
letter! 

Cyrano (continuing). ‘* ... whose 
passionate revel it was, kiss in its fleeting 
grace yourevery gesture. One, usual to 
you, of tucking back a little curl, comes to 
my mind... and I cannot refrain from 
crys out . . . 

Roxane. How strangely you read hig 
letter! ... 

(The darkness gradually increases). 

12 225 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Cyrano. ‘‘andI cry out: Good-bye!” 

Roxane. Youreadit... 

Cyrano. ‘‘my dearest, my darling,.. 
my treasure...” 


ROXANE. 2. . ) ina vos le 
Cruano. **. . . my lovel. ae 
ROXANE. ... in a voice . . J. a vores 


which I am not hearing for the first time} 

(ROXANE comes quietly nearer to him, 
without his seeing it ; she steps behind hi 
armchair, bends noiselessly over his shoul: 
der, looks at the letter. The darkness 
deepens.) 

Cyrano. ‘'.. . My heart never desisted 
for a second from your side... and ] 
am and shall be in the world that has ne 
end, the one who loved you without meas: 
ure, the one... .” 

RoxANE (laying her hand on his shoulder). 
How can you go on reading? It is dark. 
(CyRANO starts, and turns round ; sees her 
close to him, makes a gesture of dismay and 
hangs his head. Then, in the darkness 
which has completely closed round them, she 
says slowly, clasping her hands.) And he, 
for fourteen years, has played the part of 
the comical old friend who came to cheef 
me! 

Cyrano. Roxane! 

226 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


ROXANE. 
CYRANO. 
RoxANE. 


So it was you. 
No, no, Roxane! 
I ought to have divined it, if 


mnly by the way in which he speaks my 


same! 


CYRANO. 
ROXANE. 
CYRANO. 
ROXANE. 


generous 


No, it was not I! 

So it was you! 

I swear to you. . 

Ah, I detect at last ae whole 


were yours! 


CYRANO. 
ROXANE. 
Willy ews 
CYRANO. 
ROXANE. 


yours ! 


CYRANO. 


~wt ! 


Roxane. 
CYRANO. 
RoxanNkE. 
CYRANO. 
RoxaNE. 
CYRANO. 
ROXANE. 


imposture: The letters... 
No! 
The tender fancy, the dear 
yours ! 
No! 


The voice in the night, was 
I swear to you that it was 
The soul. . . was yours! 


I did not love you, no! 
And you loved me! 


NotI... it was the other! 
You loved me! 
No! 


Already your denial comes 


more faintly ! 
Cyrano. No, no, my darling love, I did 
not love you! 


227 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Roxane. Ah, how many things within 
the hour have died . . . how many have 
been born! Why, why have been silent 


py these long years, when on this letter, in 


which he had no part, the tears were 
yours ? 

Cyrano (handing her the letter). Be 
cause ... the blood was his. 

ROXANE. Then why let the sublime bond of 
this silence be loosed to-day ? 

Cyrano. Why? 

(LE Bret and RAGUENEAU enter run. 


ning.) 
LE Bret. Madness! Monstrous mad- 
ness! . .. Ah, I was sure of it! There 

he is! 


CYRANO (smiling and straightening 
himself). Tiens! Where else ? 

LE Bret. Madame, he is likely to have 
got his death by getting out of bed ! 

Roxane. Merciful Godt A moment 
ago, then... that faintness... that... ? 

CyRANO. It is true.” I had not finished 
telling you the news. And on Saturday, 
the twenty-sixth, an hour after sundown, 
Monsieur de Bergerac died of murder done 
upon him. (He takes off his hat; his head 
is seen wrapped in bandages. ) 

Rox.sE. What is he saying? . e« 

228 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Uyrano?.. . Those bandages about hig 
head? ... Ah, what have they done te 
poms Why fia. . 


Cyrano. ‘‘ Happy who falls, cut off by 
a hero, with an honest sword through his 
heart!” Iam quotingfrom myself! ... 
Fate will have his laughat us! ... Here 
am I[ killed, in a trap, from behind, by a 
lackey, with a log! Nothing could be 
completer ! In my whole life I shall have 
not had anything I wanted . . . not even 
a decent death ! 

RAGUENEAU. Ah, monsieur!... 

Cyrano. Ragueneau, do not sob like 
that! (Holding out his hand to him.) 
And what is the news with you, these 
latter days, fellow-poet ? 

RAGUENEAU (through his tears). I am 
ecandle-snuffer at Moliére’s theatre. 

Cyrano. Moliére! 

RAGUENEAU. But I intend to leave no 
later than to-morrow. Yes, I am indig- 
nant! Yesterday, they were giving Sca- 
pin, and I saw that he has appropriated a 
scene of yours. 

LE Bret. <A whole scene ? 

RAGUENEAU, Yes, monsieur. The one 
in which occurs the famous ‘‘ What the 
devil was he doing in. . .” 

229 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


Le Bret, Moliére has taker that from 
you ! 

Cyrano. Hush! hush! He did well te 
takeit! (Zo RAGUENEAU.) Thescene was 
very effective, was it not ? 

RAGUENEAU. Ah, monsieur, the public 


laughed . . . laughed ! 
Cyrano. Yes, to the end, I shall hava 
been the one who prompted . . . and was 


forgotten! (To Roxane.) Doyouremem- 
ber that evening on which Christian spoke 
to you from belew the balcony? There 
was the epitome of my life: while ] 
have stood below in darkness, others have 
climbed to gather the kiss and glory! It 
is well done, and on the brink of my grave | 
approve it : Moliére has genius . . . Chris- 
tian was a fine fellow! (At this moment, 
the chapel bell having rung, the NUNS are 
seen passing at the back, along the avenue, 
on their way to service.) Let them hasten 
to their prayers . . . the bell is summon- 
ing them... 

ROXANE (rising and calling). Sister\ 
Sister! 

Cyrano (holding her back). No! No} 
do not leave me to fetch anybody! When 
you came back I might not be here to re 
joice... (The Nuns have gone into thé 

230 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


chapel; the organ ts heard.) I longed for 
a little music . . . it comes in time! 

Roxane. I love you... you shall 
live! 

Cyrano. No! forit is onlyin the fairy- 
tale that the shy and awkward prince 
when he hears the beloved say ‘‘I love 
you!” feels his ungainliness melt and 
trop from him in the sunshine of those 
words! ... But you wouldalways know 
full well, dear Heart, that there had taken 
place in your poor slave no beautifying 


change! 

Roxane. Ihave hurt you... I have 
wrecked your life, I! ... I! 

Cyrano. You?... The reverse! Wor 
man’s sweetness I had never known. My 
mother . . . thought me unflattering. I 


had no sister. Later, I shunned Love’s 
eross-road in fear of mocking eyes. To 
you I owe having had, at least, among 
the gentle and fair, a friend.. Thanks to 
you there has passed across my life the 
rustle of a woman’s gown. 

Le Bret (calling his attention to the 
moonlight peering through the branches). 
Your other friend, among the gentle 
and fair, is there . . . she comes to sea 
you! 

231 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


CYRANO (smiling to the moon). I see her' 

Roxane. I never loved but one... 
and twice I lose him! 

Cyrano. Le Bret, I shall ascend inté 
the opalescent moon, without need thig 
time of a flying-machine ! 

RoxaNE. What are you saying? 

CYRANO. Yes, it is there, you may be 
sure, I shall be sent for my Paradise. 
More than one soul of those I have 
loved must be apportioned there.. 
There I shall find Socrates and Galileo! 

LE BRET (in revolt). No! No! Itis too 
senseless, too cruel, too unfair! So true a 
poet! So greataheart! Todie... like 
Chis) Pordie sd.) 

Cyrano. As ever... Le Bret is 
grumbling ! 

Le Bret (bursting into tears). My 
friend! My friend ! 

CYRANO (lifting himself, his eyes wild). 
They are the Gascony Cadets! ... Man 
in the gross... Eh, yes! ... the weak- 
ness of the weakest point... 

Le Bret. Learned... even in his 
delirium! ... 

Cyrano. Copernicus said... 

Roxane. Oh! 

Cyrano. But what the devil was he 

232 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


toing ... and what the devil was he 
toing in that galley # 


Philosopher and physicist, 
Musician, rhymester, duellist, 
Explorer of the upper blue, 
Retorter apt with point and point, 
Lover as well,—not for his peace * 
Here lies Hercule Savinien 
De Cyrano de Bergerac, 
“Tho waseverything . . . but of account! 


But, your pardons, I mustgo .. . I wish 
to keep no one waiting . . . See, a mvon 
beam, come to take me home! (He has 
dropped in his chair; ROXANE’S weeping 
ealls him back to reality; he looks at her 
and gently stroking her mourning veil.) I 
do not wish... indeed, I do not wish... 
that you should sorrow less for Christian, 
the comely and the kind! Only I wish 
that when the everlasting cold shall have 
seized upon my fibres, this funereal veil 
should have a twofold meaning, and the 
mourning you wear for him be worn for 
metoo... alittle! 

Roxane. I promise... 

CYyRANO (seized with a great shivering, 
starts to his feet). Not there! No! Not 
in anelbow-chair! (All draw nearer te 


233 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


help him.) Let no onestayme! No one, 
(He goes ond stands against the tree.) Noth 
ing but this tree! (Silence.) She comes 
Mors, the indiscriminate Madam!.. 
Already I am booted with marble... 
gauntleted with lead! (He stiffens him 
self.) Ah, since she is on her way, I will 
await her standing... (He draws hi-r 
sword.) Sword in hand! 

LE Bret. Cyrano! 

ROXANE (swooning). Cyrano! 

(All start back, terrified.) 

Cyrano. I believe she is looking ac 
me .. . that she dares to look at my nose, 
the bony baggage who has none! (Hé 
raises his sword.) What are you saying} 
That it isnouse?... I know it! But 
one does not fight because there is hope of 
winning! No!...no!... itis muck 
finer to fight when it is no use!... 
What are all those? You are a thousand 
strong? ... Ah, I know you now.., 
all my ancient enemies! . . . Hypocrisy 4 
... (He beats with his sword, in the 
vacancy.) Take this! and this! Ha! Ha! 
Compromises? . . . and Prejudices? and 
dastardly Expedients ? (Hestrikes.) That 
I should come to terms,I?... Neverf 
Never! ... Ah, you are there too, you 


234 


Cyrano de Bergerac. 


bloated and pompous Silliness! I know 
full well that you will lay me low at 
last . . . No matter: whilst I have breath, 
I will fight you, I will fight you, I will 
fight you! (He waves his sword in great 
sweeping circles, and stops, panting.) Yes, 
you have wrested from me everything, 
faurel as well as rose . . . Work your 
~vills!. . . Spite of your worst, some- 
thing will still be left me to take whither 
I go... and to-night when I enter God’s 
house, in saluting, broadly will I sweep 
the azure threshold with what despite of 
all I carry forth unblemished and un- 
bent... (He starts forward, with lifted 
sword.) ...and thatis... (The sword 
falls from his hands, he staggers, drops in 
the arms of LE BRET and RAGUENEAU.) 

RoxaNnE (bending over him and kissing 
his forehead). Thatis?... 

CYRANO (opens his eyes again, recognizes 
her and says with a smile)... My 
plume! 

(Curtain.) 


235 














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